prawn

1 of 2

noun

ˈprȯn How to pronounce prawn (audio)
ˈprän
: any of various widely distributed edible decapod crustaceans: such as
a
: one (as of the genera Pandalus and Penaeus) that resembles shrimp and has a large compressed abdomen
b
: shrimp
especially : a large shrimp

prawn

2 of 2

verb

prawned; prawning; prawns

intransitive verb

: to fish for or with prawns
prawner noun

Examples of prawn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Spot prawns from my freezer from Wild Alaskan met sungold tomatoes, slices of sweet pepper, red onion, garlic and basil. Chloe Sorvino, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Learn to make mouthwatering morsels, like prawns with kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass or beef empanadas, and let the lush landscapes on the cookbook’s pages inspire your next trip. AFAR Media, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
The onsite restaurant is a little more upscale than your average beach club on the Princes’ Islands with things like lobster and giant king prawns on the menu. Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 The spendy options run from the eponymous Italian dishes of dressed fish to uni taco bites, caviar nachos and prawns a la plancha. Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for prawn

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English prane

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prawn was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prawn. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

prawn

noun
ˈprȯn,
ˈprän
1
: any of numerous widespread edible crustaceans that resemble shrimps
2
: shrimp entry 1 sense 1
especially : a large shrimp

More from Merriam-Webster on prawn

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