shrimp
gb/ʃɹˈɪmp/ us/ʃɹˈɪmp/
A2
English
~ 7800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
small sea animal eaten as food
A small sea animal with a shell and many legs that people often eat.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "shrimp" and "prawn" are completely different animals; in everyday English they are often used for the same food, depending on the country. Another common mistake is with the plural: English often uses "shrimp" for both singular and plural (one shrimp, two shrimp), though "shrimps" is also possible in some varieties. Avoid forms like *"a shrimps"*.
Synonyms
prawn (Often used in British and other varieties of English; in many contexts it refers to the same kind of seafood, though some regions distinguish by species or size.)
Antonyms
beef (Contrasts with shrimp as a typical example of red meat from land animals rather than seafood.)
Collocations
grilled shrimp
|fresh shrimp
|frozen shrimp
|shrimp cocktail
|peeled shrimp
|shrimp salad
Themes
food
|animals
|daily life
|food_drink
Examples
- We ordered grilled shrimp with lemon and garlic for dinner.
- Most people in the group were allergic to shrimp, so we chose another restaurant.
- They served a pasta dish loaded with shrimp and fresh tomatoes.
- The fishermen brought in buckets of live shrimp from the bay.
- She bought a bag of frozen shrimp to make stir‑fry later.
Learner examples
- I like to eat shrimp with rice.
- They cooked fresh shrimp on the grill.
- He cannot eat shrimp because he has an allergy.
- We put shrimp in the soup.
- My mother bought shrimp at the market.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
2
very small or weak person (insult)
A rude word for a person who is very short or not strong.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "shrimp" for a person is neutral or cute. In most situations it is at least mildly insulting and should be used carefully, usually jokingly with close friends or in stories, not with strangers. It describes a person's size or physical strength, not their personality.
Synonyms
runt (Also informal and insulting, especially about a person who is much smaller than others; a bit stronger and harsher than "shrimp".)
Antonyms
hunk (Informal word for a very attractive, strong, usually tall man, contrasting with a small or weak "shrimp.")
Collocations
little shrimp
|skinny shrimp
|call [someone] a shrimp
|feel like a shrimp
Themes
people
|appearance
|insults
|communication
|emotions
Examples
- He used to be a real shrimp in high school, but he filled out after he started lifting weights.
- Stop calling your little brother a shrimp; it hurts his feelings.
- Standing next to the basketball team, I felt like a shrimp.
- The bully laughed and said, "What can a shrimp like you do about it?"
- She was tired of being treated like a shrimp just because she was short.
Learner examples
- The tall boys called him a shrimp because he was small.
- Next to my big cousins, I feel like a shrimp.
- Do not call her a shrimp. It is not kind.
- He was a shrimp in school, but now he is strong.
- They laughed at the little shrimp in the story.
Verb
technical
C1
action
3
catch shrimp commercially or for work
To catch shrimp, usually as work on a boat.
Usage pattern:
[someone] shrimps [in/around a place]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "shrimp" as a verb means "to eat shrimp" or use it in everyday speech. In modern English this verb is rare and mainly used in fishing or industry contexts to mean "catch shrimp." In most situations, use phrases like "catch shrimp" or "go shrimping" instead.
Synonyms
trawl (More general term for fishing with a large net dragged through the water; not limited to shrimp but often used in similar contexts.)
Antonyms
release (Means to let caught animals go free instead of keeping them; opposite result of catching shrimp.)
Collocations
shrimp for a living
|shrimp in the gulf
|shrimp along the coast
|families who shrimp
Themes
work
|fishing
|animals
Examples
- His family has shrimped in these waters for three generations.
- Many local boats shrimp along the coast during the summer season.
- They shrimp at night, when the catch is usually better.
- Fewer people shrimp here now because fuel costs are so high.
- The company holds a license to shrimp in the bay year‑round.
Learner examples
- Her father shrimped on a small boat for many years.
- Some people shrimp at night and rest in the day.
- They shrimp in the gulf every summer.
- Many boats shrimp near this town.
- He wants to shrimp with his uncle when he is older.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shrimp
IPA
GB/ʃɹˈɪmp/
US/ʃɹˈɪmp/
Syllables & stress
shrimp (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shrimp)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shrimp
- Plural: shrimp, shrimps
Word family
Expressions
coconut shrimp
1/kˈoʊkənˌʌt ʃɹˈɪmp/
fixed phrase
fried shrimp in coconut coating
Shrimp that are covered in shredded coconut, then fried until crispy, usually served as an appetizer or snack.
Examples
- We ordered coconut shrimp with a sweet chili sauce.
- Coconut shrimp is a popular item on the beach bar menu.
- She served coconut shrimp as a starter at the barbecue.
jumbo shrimp
1/d͡ʒˈʌmboʊ ʃɹˈɪmp/
fixed phrase
very large shrimp for eating
Very big shrimp that are usually sold or served as a special or more expensive type of shrimp.
Examples
- We shared a plate of grilled jumbo shrimp for our main course.
- The restaurant is famous for its spicy jumbo shrimp.
- She bought a bag of frozen jumbo shrimp for the party.
shrimp fried rice
1/ʃɹˈɪmp fɹˈaɪd ɹˈaɪs/
fixed phrase
fried rice dish with shrimp
A fried rice dish that has shrimp, egg, and usually vegetables, often served in Chinese or Asian-style restaurants.
Examples
- He ordered shrimp fried rice and spring rolls for lunch.
- The menu offers chicken, beef, or shrimp fried rice.
- She cooked shrimp fried rice with leftover rice from yesterday.
shrimp on the barbie
1/ʃɹˈɪmp ˈɔn ðə bˈɑɹbi/
fixed phrase
informal
shrimp cooked on a barbecue
Shrimp cooked on a barbecue grill, often used as a playful phrase connected with Australian-style outdoor cooking.
Examples
- They spent the afternoon putting shrimp on the barbie by the pool.
- The ad invited tourists to come and enjoy "shrimp on the barbie."
- We threw some shrimp on the barbie and watched the sunset.
shrimp scampi
1/ʃɹˈɪmp skˈæmpi/
fixed phrase
shrimp in garlic butter sauce
A dish where shrimp are cooked in a sauce of butter, garlic, and often white wine, usually served with pasta or bread.
Examples
- I had shrimp scampi over linguine at the Italian restaurant.
- She made shrimp scampi with lots of garlic and lemon.
- Shrimp scampi is one of his favorite seafood dishes.
shrimp cocktail
1/ʃɹˈɪmp kˈɑktˌeɪl/
fixed phrase
cold shrimp appetizer with sauce
A cold dish of cooked shrimp served with a spicy tomato or cocktail sauce, usually as a starter before a meal.
Examples
- We ordered shrimp cocktail as an appetizer.
- He ordered a shrimp cocktail as his appetizer.
- The party started with shrimp cocktail and sparkling wine.
- The restaurant is famous for its large shrimp cocktail.
- She made individual shrimp cocktails in small glasses for her guests.
- They served shrimp cocktail at the beginning of the wedding dinner.