shrimps

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "shrimps" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you are referring to small crustaceans with long legs and a curved body. For example: I love to eat fried shrimps with garlic and a squeeze of lemon.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I felt like one of those mantis shrimps with trinocular vision".

The Guardian - Music

Octopus, fish and shrimps are sautéed with onions, tomatoes and local spices, and put into a sandwich with pickled cucumbers and cabbage.

The Guardian

Alternatively, gently fry crushed spring onions (with dried shrimps if you wish) until dark brown and aromatic, and use to dress noodles.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The sea's rhythm and the steady percussion of sand shrimps against the bottom of the tent is punctuated by my gasps, in time with the shooting stars.

The Guardian - Travel

We would feast on a platter of Irish shellfish, which is at its best around Christmas time – oysters, razor clams, sea urchins, cockles, mussels, prawns or shrimps and some spider crab just with a bowl of beautiful homemade mayonnaise and lots of brown soda bread.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The forklift operator the only one allowed into the lane under Israeli security rules sighs, bends down and begins shovelling shrimps and dirt back into the boxes.The problem is that everything is interconnected.

The Economist

As the Gazan exporter watches, the invisible Israeli operator shifts the belt backwards, and a pallet of jumbo shrimps falls off the end, spilling them into the dust.

The Economist

The bank is accused of "laundering" money through its New York branch as part of transactions that transferred money from Saudi Arabia to Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.America's Commerce Department made a preliminary ruling that would set tariffs of up to 93% and 113%, respectively, on shrimps imported from Vietnam and China.

The Economist

An entire ecosystem, including crabs and snails, lives off the shrimps and clams.Growth is faster here than on the rest of the sea floor.

The Economist

THEY sew bras, peel shrimps, build blocks of flats and haul fishing-nets.

The Economist

Peru's boats as early as mid-1997 started finding the shrimps and lobsters usually caught in Ecuador's waters.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to “shrimps” in a scientific context, ensure that you are using the term correctly to distinguish it from similar crustaceans like prawns.

Common error

Avoid using "shrimp" as a plural when referring to multiple individual crustaceans. While "shrimp" can be used as a mass noun, using "shrimps" clarifies that you are talking about multiple individuals.

Linguistic Context

"Shrimps" primarily functions as a plural noun, denoting multiple crustaceans commonly used as seafood. It can also act as a collective noun in certain contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, supported by numerous real-world examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "shrimps" functions primarily as a plural noun denoting multiple crustaceans. According to Ludwig AI, the term is grammatically correct and widely applicable across various contexts. Its usage spans from culinary references to scientific classifications, commonly appearing in news articles, encyclopedia entries, and everyday conversations. While often used interchangeably with "prawns", they technically represent different species. When writing, specifying the type or origin of "shrimps" can provide greater clarity. Be careful not to use the singular "shrimp" when the plural form is appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prawns

Interchangeable in many culinary contexts, although prawns are technically a different species.

seafood

Culinary term referring to edible marine life, which includes shrimps.

small crustaceans

A broader term encompassing various small, shelled aquatic creatures, including shrimps.

shellfish

A general term referring to aquatic invertebrates with shells, of which shrimps are a subset.

scampi

Refers to a dish prepared with shrimps or prawns in garlic butter or wine.

decapod crustaceans

A more scientific and precise term classifying shrimps within a specific zoological order.

freshwater prawns

Refers to shrimps living in rivers and other freshwater sources.

marine invertebrates

A broad term for animals without backbones living in the sea, including shrimps.

krill

Small shrimp-like creature, often smaller than commercial shrimps.

sea creatures

A very general term for any living thing in the ocean, with shrimps as one example.

FAQs

How do I use "shrimps" in a sentence?

"Shrimps" is a plural noun, so it should be used when referring to more than one shrimp. For example, "The chef prepared a delicious dish with garlic "shrimps".

What's the difference between "shrimps" and prawns?

While often used interchangeably, "shrimps" and prawns are distinct species. Prawns generally have longer legs and straighter bodies than "shrimps".

Is it correct to say "shrimp" instead of "shrimps"?

While "shrimp" can sometimes be used as a mass noun, especially in culinary contexts (e.g., "shrimp scampi"), "shrimps" is generally preferred when referring to multiple individual crustaceans.

What are some dishes that commonly include "shrimps"?

"Shrimps" are used in various dishes, such as "shrimp scampi", shrimp cocktail, paella, and gumbo.