shrimp

1 of 2

noun

ˈshrimp 

 especially Southern  ˈsrimp

plural shrimp or shrimps

1

: any of numerous mostly small and marine decapod crustaceans (suborders Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata) having a slender elongated body, a compressed abdomen, and a long spiny rostrum and including some (especially family Penaeidae) that are commercially important as food

also : a small crustacean (such as an amphipod or a branchiopod) resembling the true shrimp

2

usually disparaging : a very small or puny person or thing

shrimplike

ˈshrimp-ˌlīk 

ˈsrimp-

adjective

shrimpy

ˈshrim-pē 

ˈsrim-

adjective

shrimp

2 of 2

verb

shrimped; shrimping; shrimps

intransitive verb

: to fish for or catch shrimp

Examples of shrimp in a Sentence

Noun

He's a little shrimp of a boy.

the boy was just a shrimp until his teens, when he had a growth spurt

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The dining room tables were filled with Arlington’s beloved red velvet Belgian waffles with chicken or catfish, or with orders of shrimp-and-grits or catfish-and-grits. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2025

Rakar sells pork soup dumplings, chicken dumplings, egg drop soup, sesame shrimp and more. —Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025

The hotel’s eponymous restaurant, which serves global fare like a coconut fish soup with shrimp dumplings, is in the Lithuania Michelin guide. —Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 27 Oct. 2025

Pop Mart has sold small Labubus, some shaped like shrimp tempura, carrying Coke products, dressed as pumpkins, and more. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shrimpe; akin to Middle Low German schrempen to contract, wrinkle, Old Norse skorpna to shrivel up

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1808, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing shrimp

• brine shrimp
• fairy shrimp
• mantis shrimp
• popcorn chicken/shrimp
• rock shrimp
• tiger shrimp

Rhymes for shrimp

• blimp
• chimp
• crimp
• imp
• limp
• pimp
• skimp
• wimp

Kids Definition

shrimp

1 of 2 noun

ˈshrimp 

plural shrimps or shrimp

1

: any of numerous small mostly marine shellfish that are crustaceans related to the lobsters, that have a long slender body, an abdomen that is very thin from side to side, and long legs, and that include some important as food

2

: a very small or unimportant person or thing

shrimplike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

shrimp

2 of 2 verb

: to fish for or catch shrimps