aquarium

noun

aquar·​i·​um ə-ˈkwer-ē-əm 

plural aquariums or aquaria ə-ˈkwer-ē-ə 

1

: a container (such as a glass tank) or an artificial pond in which living aquatic animals or plants are kept

2

: an establishment where aquatic organisms are kept and exhibited

Examples of aquarium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last year, adding to their arsenal, the aquarium received several elkhorn corals from Honduras that appeared to withstand hotter-than-normal temperatures. —Max Chesnes, Sun Sentinel, 18 May 2025

Pogo lived at the Tucson museum – which is also a zoo, garden, art gallery and aquarium – for more than a decade, museum officials said. —Sara Schilling, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2025

The zoo established the world’s first reptile house and aquarium in the mid-1800s. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025

The aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life aerial research team has flown 32 surveys off New England since December, resulting in 168 North Atlantic right whales being located, officials said. —Mark Price, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably alteration of aquatic vivarium

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aquarium

• tropical aquarium

Rhymes for aquarium

• herbarium
• ovarium
• puparium
• samarium
• zoarium
• armamentarium
• cerium
• honorarium
• planetarium
• sanitarium

Kids Definition

aquarium

noun

aquar·​i·​um ə-ˈkwar-ē-əm 

-ˈkwer-

plural aquariums or aquaria

-ē-ə

: a container (as a glass tank) in which living water animals or plants are kept

also : an establishment where collections of such animals or plants are kept and shown