Where does “shrimp” come from?

Shrimp derives from Middle English schrimpe, from Proto-Germanic skrimpaz, from Proto-Germanic skrimpaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- and sek-, roots meaning to cut or separate.

shrimp (English): Any of many swimming, often edible crustaceans,...

Definitions

  1. Any of many swimming, often edible crustaceans,...

Ancestry of “shrimp”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishschrimpeshrimp, puny person
2Proto-Germanicskrimpazshrivelled
3Proto-Germanicskrimpanąto contract, to shrink
4Proto-Indo-European(s)kerbʰ-to scratch, scrape
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “shrimp”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerbʰ- →