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

See the aquarium bedecked in holiday lights sure to get you in the holiday sprit. —Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Dec. 2025

Notably, one resident, affectionately named Beach Donkey, received treatment for foot dermatitis and trained to wear her custom shoes during fun field trips around the aquarium. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 17 Dec. 2025

Complex social creatures Spider monkeys have very similar needs to humans, said Mandy Fischer, wildlife confiscations coordinator for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of conservation, education, science and recreation for zoos and aquariums. —Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 16 Dec. 2025

Soon aquariums around the globe began putting in orders for their very own killer whale, and over the next decade more than 50 orcas were captured from the Salish Sea or killed in the process. —Kelso Harper, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 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