estuary

noun

es·​tu·​ary ˈes-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce estuary (audio)
ˈesh-
plural estuaries
: a water passage where the tide meets a river current
especially : an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river

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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

the city sits on the shores of a deep estuary where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean
Recent Examples on the Web The Lower Bay, where the estuary meets the Atlantic, had the highest overall score of any region in 2023, with a 70%, but Baltimore’s Back and Patapsco River area scored the lowest of any region, with a 22%, considered a D-minus. Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 9 July 2024 Some environmentalists remain worried about the impact of the project, especially the gates, which are projected to reduce the flow of seawater in and out of the estuary by up to 10 percent. Xander Peters, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024 While walking June 17 in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, a woman noticed two dolphins stuck in the shallow waters of an estuary near the Atlantic Ocean. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 26 June 2024 Another project is the Ash Creek urban tidal estuary. Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for estuary 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'estuary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin aestuarium, from aestus boiling, tide; akin to Latin aestas summer — more at edify

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of estuary was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near estuary

Cite this Entry

“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

estuary

noun
es·​tu·​ary ˈes-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce estuary (audio)
plural estuaries
: a passage where the tide meets a river current
especially : an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river
estuarine
ˈes-chə-wə-ˌrīn
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on estuary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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