🌍 American vs British · vocabulary

shrimp vs prawn

A small edible shellfish with a curved body, popular in seafood dishes.

American
shrimp

“We ordered a plate of grilled shrimp to start.”

British
prawn

“We ordered a plate of grilled prawns to start.”

Good to know

Americans use "shrimp" broadly for these shellfish, while Britons usually say "prawns" for the larger ones and reserve "shrimp" for the tiny variety. Both words are understood in either region.

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