The direct translation of 'shrimp' or 'prawn' in English is 'crevette' in French. Crevette is a feminine noun.
However, the translation of shrimp into French depends on the size of the shrimp. If one is talking of the common shrimp which is only around three inches in length one would you 'crevette' as previously stated. But if one is referring to a 'jumbo shrimp' or 'king prawn' that is around six to ten inches in length one would use the term 'langoustine' which is also a feminine noun.
On the other hand if one is using the term 'shrimp' to describe a small person in a colloquial slang, an example of a French substitution for this would be 'avorton' or 'minus'.
Prawns and langoustine are a french speciality, particularly in Brittany (Bretagne), which is a coastal region in France. However they can be found in the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean sea and are absent from the Baltic and Black seas.
'Les Crevettes' are used in the French traditional dish Bouillabaisse, which is a stew of shellfish and herbs. Other traditional ingredients included in this dish are mussels (les moules), salmon (le saumon) and lobster (l'homard). See below for a picture of this French traditional dish.
