: 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
c
Examples of prawn in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024
Ocean Motion: India food critic, journalist, TV personality and talk show host, Vir Sangi accompanies Rosenthal to Trishna, a superb seafood restaurant, for fish curry, charcoaled jumbo prawns, lobster in chili sauce and butter-garlic crab.
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Aromas from its classic dishes of honey walnut prawns, kung pao chicken, an assortment of chow mein and the famous banana cream pie continue to waft from the kitchen.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024
Try a Melon Smash with Midori liqueur and pineapple, perhaps, or a Baltimore Bloody Mary with Old Bay spice and a lemon prawn.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024
The menu features 200-plus seafood items, including halibut, salmon, sushi-grade tuna, prawns, lobster and Dungeness crab — much of it caught by the restaurant’s own fishing fleet.
—Jerry Rice, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
In lab experiments, prawns exposed to hours of sunlight had yellow reflective eyes, but those left in the dark overnight instead reflected green.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023
Giant prawns are coated in Ethiopian berbere and served with jicama and rose water.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Join the Marin Chinese Cultural Association in celebrating the new year with everything from jai and prawns to suckling pig and red bean soup, plus live performances including traditional guzheng and lion dancing.
—Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024
Michele Robson, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Another favorite is the tiger prawn sauté: tail-on jumbo shrimp, perfectly cooked with snappy exteriors and juicy meat, served over slices of French bread.
—Larry Olmsted, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2019
Other dishes on the menu will speak to the global flavors introduced to Americans at that time, like tempura prawn with decidedly Southeast Asian flavors of tamarind, lime and chiles, or a house pappardelle with oxtail ragout.
—Joseph Hernandez, chicagotribune.com, 16 May 2017
The tides on the opener are unbelievably fantastic as many of us who dig this fishery finalize our prawning plans.
—Mark Yuasa, The Seattle Times, 1 May 2017
Noun
Start with their pillowy focaccia, then savor a plate of tender South Pacific blue prawns in a garlicky salsa verde.
—Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024
Ocean Motion: India food critic, journalist, TV personality and talk show host, Vir Sangi accompanies Rosenthal to Trishna, a superb seafood restaurant, for fish curry, charcoaled jumbo prawns, lobster in chili sauce and butter-garlic crab.
—Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Aromas from its classic dishes of honey walnut prawns, kung pao chicken, an assortment of chow mein and the famous banana cream pie continue to waft from the kitchen.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024
Try a Melon Smash with Midori liqueur and pineapple, perhaps, or a Baltimore Bloody Mary with Old Bay spice and a lemon prawn.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024
The menu features 200-plus seafood items, including halibut, salmon, sushi-grade tuna, prawns, lobster and Dungeness crab — much of it caught by the restaurant’s own fishing fleet.
—Jerry Rice, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024
In lab experiments, prawns exposed to hours of sunlight had yellow reflective eyes, but those left in the dark overnight instead reflected green.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023
Giant prawns are coated in Ethiopian berbere and served with jicama and rose water.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Join the Marin Chinese Cultural Association in celebrating the new year with everything from jai and prawns to suckling pig and red bean soup, plus live performances including traditional guzheng and lion dancing.
—Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024
Verb
There are several Latin American influences, too, such as the lighter-than-air Tres Leches cake and the tiger prawns yello anticucho.
—Michele Robson, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Another favorite is the tiger prawn sauté: tail-on jumbo shrimp, perfectly cooked with snappy exteriors and juicy meat, served over slices of French bread.
—Larry Olmsted, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2019
Other dishes on the menu will speak to the global flavors introduced to Americans at that time, like tempura prawn with decidedly Southeast Asian flavors of tamarind, lime and chiles, or a house pappardelle with oxtail ragout.
—Joseph Hernandez, chicagotribune.com, 16 May 2017
The tides on the opener are unbelievably fantastic as many of us who dig this fishery finalize our prawning plans.
—Mark Yuasa, The Seattle Times, 1 May 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prawn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Prawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prawn. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
prawn
nounˈprȯn,
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
Nglish: Translation of prawn for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of prawn for Arabic Speakers
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