estuary
noun
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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
Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025
Two more fatal attacks occurred after the shark swam about 4 miles upstream in Matawan Creek — a brackish tidal estuary well inland from the New Jersey shoreline.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 20 June 2025
With Season 5 already on the way, born out of López’s overall deal with HBO, viewers will be transported from Alaska to Jamaica Bay, an estuary on Long Island.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 31 May 2025
While no evacuations were ordered, the government advised residents to immediately leave beaches, harbors, marinas, and estuaries, and to stay out of the water.
—Barney Henderson
robert Birsel
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for estuary
Cite this Entry
“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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estuary
noun
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