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
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
The crab-eating frog (Fejervarya cancrivora) lives in mangroves, coastal swamps and estuaries across Southeast Asia.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
There is also no camping at the estuary, and like all wildflower locations, picking the flowers is not allowed.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2026
For longtime volunteers David Marx and Sei-Jin Ko, the cleanup offered both a chance to help protect the environment and experience the estuary from a unique perspective.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 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 5 Feb. 2026.
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estuary
noun
