camarón
/kamaˈɾon/
noun
Origin
Latin
cammarus — a kind of lobster or sea crab
Overview
Meaning Now
- A decapod crustacean, specifically a shrimp or prawn.
Literal older meaning
big lobster or big chamber, depending on etymological theory
Language path
Latin → Spanish
Earliest form
camarón
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The term evolved from the Latin 'cammarus', which itself was borrowed from the Greek 'kámmaros'. While the suffix '-ón' is usually augmentative, in this specific term, it identifies the crustacean commonly referred to in modern Spanish across many regions.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
kámmaros
“a sea crab or lobster”
- Latin
cammarus
“sea crab or lobster”
- Spanish (Medieval)
camarón
“shrimp”
Addition of the augmentative suffix -ón.
Connections
Word parts
camar-
root
related to lobster/crustacean
-ón
suffix
augmentative suffix
Related across languages
French
camard
flat-nosed (though etymologically distinct in some interpretations)
Portuguese
camarão
shrimp
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.