prawn

UK: /ˈprɔːn/ US: /prɔn/ ,(prôn)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

prawn /prɔn/   n. [countable]

1. Invertebrates a small shrimplike edible sea animal.

v. [no object]

2. to catch prawns, as for food.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

prawn  (prôn), n. 

1. Invertebrates any of various shrimplike decapod crustaceans of the genera Palaemon, Penaeus, etc., certain of which are used as food.
2. British Terms come the raw prawn, [Australian Slang.] to try to impose on or deceive someone (fol. by with).

v.t. 

3. to catch prawns, as for food.

• late Middle English prane, of uncertain origin, originally 1400–50

prawn′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

prawn / prɔːn/ noun

1. any of various small edible marine decapod crustaceans of the genera Palaemon, Penaeus, etc, having a slender flattened body with a long tail and two pairs of pincers
2. come the raw prawn ⇒ to attempt deception

Etymology: 15th Century: of obscure origin