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

In addition to the zoo and aquarium, the institute has Audubon Park and its golf course; soccer and baseball fields; horse stables; a tennis center; a water park and much more. —Arkansas Online, 22 June 2025

And sure, other towns in the area, such as Monterey, with its famous aquarium, and or fairy tale-like Carmel-by-the-Sea, may be more well-known. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025

Though perhaps not the most conventional Father’s Day participants, these fascinating fish mark a milestone in marine wildlife conservation, with no other public aquarium on the planet hosting four egg-bearing male dragons at the same time until now. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025

Explore exhibits like Stingray Bay, walk through an underground aquarium tunnel, and see baby seahorses in a nursery. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 15 June 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