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
New Atlas, 27 May 2026
But instead of simply passing offshore, increasing numbers are now diverting into San Francisco Bay and lingering for days or even weeks inside the crowded estuary — a shift scientists increasingly link to climate change.
—ABC News, 20 May 2026
Gunpowder River is a tidal estuary of the Chesapeake Bay.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 19 May 2026
Although the area where the volunteers worked was several hundred yards from the beach, the river estuary is interconnected with the ocean, said Zack Zeilman, the climate action program lead for the Surfrider Foundation’s San Diego chapter.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for estuary
Cite this Entry
“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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estuary
noun
