scampi
Definition
Noun 1. A prepared dish: A dish consisting of large shrimp or prawns that are sautéed, typically in oil or butter with garlic and often served with bread or over pasta. 2. The main ingredient (chiefly British): The plural form of scampo, referring to the large shrimp or prawns (especially of the genus Nephrops) themselves, before cooking.
Usage and Examples
- As a prepared dish (common in US and UK):
- "For my main course, I'll have the scampi and chips, please."
- "This restaurant makes excellent garlic scampi served over linguine."
- Referring to the shellfish (chiefly UK):
- "We bought fresh scampi from the fishmonger to grill." (Here, 'scampi' means the prawns themselves).
Advanced Usage and Notes
- Grammatical Number: The word "scampi" is often treated as a singular mass noun when referring to the dish (e.g., "This scampi is delicious"). When used in its original Italian sense for the shellfish, it is a plural noun (singular: ).
- Preparation Context: The term almost always implies a specific method of preparation (sautéed with garlic and butter/oil). Simply boiling or grilling large shrimp would not typically be called "scampi."
Variants and Related Words
- Prawn (noun, chiefly UK): A general term for a large shrimp, often synonymous with the main ingredient in scampi.
- Shrimp (noun, chiefly US): A general term for the shellfish; "large shrimp" is the common US descriptor for the main ingredient.
- Langoustine (noun): Another name for the , the type of small lobster often used for scampi.
Synonyms
- For the dish: garlic shrimp, shrimp scampi, prawns sautéed in garlic butter.
- For the ingredient: large shrimp, prawns, Dublin Bay prawns, langoustines.
Related Phrases and Compounds
- Shrimp scampi: A common tautological phrase used in American English to specify the dish.
- Scampi and chips: A classic British pub dish where breaded or battered scampi (often the tail meat) is served with french fries.
Noun
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large shrimp sauteed in oil or butter and garlic
