estuary

noun

es·​tu·​ary ˈes-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce estuary (audio)
ˈesh-
plural estuaries
: a water passage where the tide meets a river current
especially : an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river

Did you know?

A partly enclosed coastal body of water in which river water is mixed with seawater is called an estuary. An estuary is thus defined by salinity rather than geography. Many coastal features designated by other names are in fact estuaries (for instance, Chesapeake Bay). Some of the oldest continuous civilizations have flourished in estuarine environments (for example, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Nile delta, and the Ganges delta). Cities such as London (Thames River), New York (Hudson River), and Montreal (St. Lawrence River) developed on estuaries and became important commercial centers.

Examples of estuary in a Sentence

the city sits on the shores of a deep estuary where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean
Recent Examples on the Web This 1,100-square-mile estuary drains a vast watershed, bringing together about half of all river flows in the state and contributing to the supplies of three out of every five Californians. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 In the absence of sea otters, the crabs have been living in the Elkhorn Slough estuary without its main predator around, Hughes said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2024 After many grant applications and coordination, a multi-agency effort in 2013 brought the estuary back to pristine condition. Will McCarthy, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2024 My research focuses on coastal ecology and water pollution, including work in New York and New Jersey marshes and estuaries that are heavily affected by human activities. Judith Weis, The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2024 The Wendat are an Iroquoian-speaking nation that has long occupied the St. Lawrence Valley and Great Lakes estuary, per the Canadian Encyclopedia. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Jan. 2024 There are marine and estuary topographies, cypresses and mangroves. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2024 Pollution from these farms, most of which are in tropical climates, is substantial, dumping organic waste, chemicals, and antibiotics into groundwater and estuaries, and salt into agricultural land. Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2024 When water supply gets tight, the bays and estuaries typically are first to see their allocations revoked while cities keep dam gates closed. Dylan Baddour, WIRED, 27 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'estuary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin aestuarium, from aestus boiling, tide; akin to Latin aestas summer — more at edify

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of estuary was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near estuary

Cite this Entry

“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

estuary

noun
es·​tu·​ary ˈes-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce estuary (audio)
plural estuaries
: a passage where the tide meets a river current
especially : an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river
estuarine
ˈes-chə-wə-ˌrīn
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on estuary

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