marine

1 of 2

adjective

ma·​rine mə-ˈrēn 

1

a

: of or relating to the sea

marine life

marine biology

b

: of or relating to the act or practice of sailing over the sea : nautical

a marine chart

c

: of or relating to the commerce (see commerce entry 1 sense 2) of the sea : maritime

marine law

d

: depicting the sea, seashore, or ships

a marine painter

2

: of or relating to marines (see marine entry 2 sense 2)

marine barracks

marine

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: the mercantile and naval shipping of a country

b

: seagoing ships especially in relation to nationality or class

2

: one of a class of armed services personnel serving on shipboard or in close association with a naval force

specifically : a member of the U.S. Marine Corps

3

: an executive department (as in France) having charge of naval affairs

4

: a marine picture : seascape

Synonyms of marine

Adjective

• oceanic
• maritime
• underwater

Examples of marine in a Sentence

Adjective

marine animals such as dolphins and whales

he loves collecting little marine creatures while at the beach

Noun

He is a former U.S. Marine.

the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Despite what the name implies, this style of cooking fuses not just two but three parts of the world, combining the marine bounty of Baja with Mediterranean ingredients like olive oil and Asian aromatics like soy sauce and lemongrass. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026

Aqua di Giò, a fresh marine aquatic scent, was launched 30 years ago and remains in the top 10 of men’s fragrances worldwide. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2026

Noun

Opening Pacific marine monument waters could give the fleet more opportunities, since foreign ships wouldn’t be permitted to fish there. — NPR, 3 Aug. 2026

Experts predict a surge in stingray encounters and injuries as warmer waters reshape marine ecosystems from San Diego to Monterey. — James Ward, USA Today, 30 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Latin marinus, from mare sea; akin to Old English mere sea, pool, Old High German meri sea, Old Church Slavic morje

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1669, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing marine

• marine architect
• marine biologist
• marine iguana
• marine toad
• merchant marine
• sergeant major of the marine corps

Rhymes for marine

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between
• bromine

Kids Definition

marine

1 of 2 adjective

ma·​rine mə-ˈrēn 

1

a

: of or relating to the sea

marine life

b

: of or relating to the navigation of the sea : nautical, maritime

a marine chart

marine insurance

2

: of or relating to marines

marine barracks

marine

2 of 2 noun

1

: the commercial and naval shipping of a country

2

: one of a class of soldiers serving aboard ship or in association with a naval force

especially : a member of the U.S. Marine Corps