brine shrimp: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1technical/scientific
Quick answer
What does “brine shrimp” mean?
A small aquatic crustacean of the genus Artemia, typically found in saltwater lakes and salt pans.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small aquatic crustacean of the genus Artemia, typically found in saltwater lakes and salt pans.
Often used as live food for aquarium fish and in scientific research due to its hardiness and simple life cycle.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The term is standard in both scientific and aquarium-keeping contexts.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. Primarily associated with biology, aquaculture, and pet care.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general discourse but common in specific domains (biology, aquaculture, pet hobbies).
Grammar
How to Use “brine shrimp” in a Sentence
[to] hatch brine shrimp (from cysts)[to] feed [something] brine shrimp[to] culture brine shrimp (in a tank)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in the aquaculture supply industry.
Academic
Common in biology, marine science, and aquaculture studies.
Everyday
Uncommon, mostly used by aquarium enthusiasts.
Technical
Standard term in aquaculture, aquarium science, and biological research.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “brine shrimp”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “brine shrimp”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brine shrimp”
- Using 'brine shrimp' to refer to edible shrimp species (e.g., prawns).
- Misspelling as 'brain shrimp'.
- Treating it as a countable plural only (e.g., 'a brine shrimp' is correct for one individual).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'sea monkeys' is a commercial brand name for a particular type of brine shrimp (Artemia) sold as novelty pets.
They are not toxic, but they are not cultivated for human consumption due to their tiny size and primary use as fish feed.
They are a model organism in developmental biology and ecotoxicology because their eggs (cysts) can remain dormant for years and hatch predictably in salt water.
By placing brine shrimp cysts (eggs) in aerated salt water at a specific temperature and light exposure, which triggers hatching within 24-48 hours.
A small aquatic crustacean of the genus Artemia, typically found in saltwater lakes and salt pans.
Brine shrimp is usually technical/scientific in register.
Brine shrimp: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbraɪn ˈʃrɪmp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbraɪn ˈʃrɪmp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of SHRIMP that live in BRINE (very salty water).
Conceptual Metaphor
Often conceptualized as a 'starter food' or a 'model organism' due to its role in feeding other creatures and in lab studies.
Practice
Quiz
In which habitat are brine shrimp primarily found?