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

The limited nature of the aquariums’ beluga habitats affects the whales both physically and mentally, with one of the main problems being boredom, said Marino, who is also a neuroscientist. — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026

The whale rescue would have the largest scope of any yet in the aquarium’s history, and is part of a large operation across multiple rescuers and borders, the aquarium said. — Alex Nettles, AJC.com, 9 July 2026

From exploring local aquariums and museums to curling up with a good book overlooking the ocean, there are plenty of ways to make the most of a stormy beach day. — Abby Price, Southern Living, 9 July 2026

The announcement also drew a mixed response from the Whale Sanctuary Project, an organization that advocates for seaside sanctuaries rather than traditional aquariums. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026

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

• cerium
• armamentarium
• herbarium
• ovarium
• puparium
• samarium
• solarium
• zoarium
• 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