mantis prawn
- noun
- /ˈmæntɪs prɔːn/
- UK
:
camarón mantis
- The mantis prawn is known for its powerful claws.
Examples
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The scientist studied the hunting behavior of the mantis prawn in its natural habitat.
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Several restaurants feature dishes made with fresh mantis prawns.
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Fishermen in Southeast Asia often catch mantis prawns for local markets.
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Many chefs consider the mantis prawns a delicacy.
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Fishermen in Southeast Asia often catch mantis prawns for local markets.
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Several restaurants feature dishes made with fresh mantis prawns.
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The scientist studied the hunting behavior of the mantis prawn in its natural habitat.
Synonyms
1
7.5
A tropical sea creature with bright colors and very strong claws
A sea animal called mantis shrimp with very strong front claws and eyes made of many parts
Sea animals like mantis shrimp that have strong front claws for hunting
A tropical sea animal like a crab that lives in burrows and uses large front claws to catch prey
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound follows a straightforward modifier+head pattern: 'mantis' describes a type of 'prawn', so the phrase denotes a prawn with mantis-like characteristics. This compositional logic is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer it refers to a kind of crustacean resembling a mantis (i.e., mantis shrimp).
Etymology
The name mantis prawn comes from how the animal looks: its front claws look like the arms of a mantis and it is a kind of prawn, a 'shrimp'-like sea animal. Those strong, grabbing claws let it hunt other animals, so the name helps you remember that a mantis prawn is a powerful hunting sea creature.