What Does Shrimp Mean? A Complete Guide to the Definition and Uses of Shrimp

Shrimp is a common word with several meanings, depending on the context. As an avid seafood lover and fishing enthusiast, I often get asked “what does shrimp mean?” So I decided to write this complete guide to explain the definition and uses of the word shrimp.

Shrimp as a Seafood

The most common meaning of shrimp refers to a type of small edible seafood. Specifically, shrimp are decapod crustaceans that belong to the suborders Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata. There are thousands of shrimp species, but some of the most popular for human consumption include:

• White shrimp
• Pink shrimp
• Rock shrimp
• Royal red shrimp

Shrimp live in saltwater habitats like the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. They have an elongated slender body shape with a curved spine. Their skeletons are made of calcium carbonate. Most shrimp species are bottom dwellers that eat plankton and organic particles.

Some key identifying features of true shrimp include:

• 10 legs
• Shell-like exoskeleton
• Stalked eyes
• Antennae
• Abdominal muscle that rapidly flips the tail to swim

The most commonly eaten parts of shrimp are the meaty abdomens. Shrimp are an incredibly popular seafood due to their sweet, delicate flavor and texture. They can be prepared many ways, including grilled, fried, baked, and boiled.

So when someone asks “what does shrimp mean on a menu?” they are referring to the crustacean seafood, not the other definitions.

Shrimp as a Description of Size

The word shrimp can also be used to describe something that is very small or puny. For example:

• Mike was a shrimp when he started 8th grade but hit a huge growth spurt by the end.
• My old laptop is a shrimp compared to the processing power of my new desktop.
• The economy car looked like a shrimp parked next to the huge SUVs.

This usage often has a negative connotation, implying that the person or object being described as a shrimp is weaker or inferior in some way. However, it can also be used playfully and jokingly between friends.

The metaphor relates to the typically small size of actual shrimp. Calling someone “shrimpy” means they are short in stature or below average in height or weight. This meaning dates back to the early 1500s when shrimp first referred to something diminutive.

The main definitions of the word shrimp refer to either:

• A type of small, edible crustacean with 10 legs that lives in saltwater environments

Or

• Anything that is considered runt-sized, puny, petite, or weak

Understanding the context is key to knowing which meaning of shrimp is intended. It’s one of those interesting words with very different usages and connotations depending on whether you are talking about seafood or using a metaphor about size.