fjord

noun

fē-ˈȯrd  ˈfē-ˌȯrd 

ˈfyȯrd

variants or less commonly fiord

: a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes

the fjords of Norway

Illustration of fjord

Synonyms of fjord

• bay
• estuary
• loch
• cove

Examples of fjord in a Sentence

a cruise through the breathtaking fjords along the coast of Norway

Recent Examples on the Web

The incident took place earlier this month when a vessel was sailing in a fjord in northeastern Svalbard, around 620 miles from the North Pole. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Michael Zeiler is currently aboard the expedition ship Ocean Explorer, heading to the fjords of Greenland to view the upcoming total solar eclipse on Wednesday. — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Those extra hours of daylight leave more time for travelers to experience the country's fjords, whether from the water, along hiking trails or while exploring Norway's coastal communities, Quartz reported. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Some of them walked down a long path outside, and lowered themselves gingerly into the freezing waters of the fjord. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Norwegian fjord, from Old Norse fjǫrthr — more at ford

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fjord

• board
• bored
• chord
• cord
• corde
• cored
• floored
• gored
• gourd
• hoard
• horde
• lord

Kids Definition

fjord

noun

variants also fiord

fē-ˈȯrd

: a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes

Etymology

Norwegian