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

The Po Delta is a haven for marine life, said Massimiliano Costa, director of the Po Delta Park that helps conserve and manage the local environment. — Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

One Gamine fragrance, Heroic Dose, opens with fresh cypress, blue hemp, and salty marine air, but underneath lies an earthy, gritty complexity brought in by cumin and vetiver bourbon. — Parizaad Khan Sethi, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026

Noun

Madruga's body was recovered Thursday by a police marine unit, two days after the Volare, a 49-foot (15-meter) cabin cruiser, sank with 20 people aboard after being hit by a wave and capsizing. — ABC News, 17 July 2026

Beyond recreational marine, Kinsey Fabrizio, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, sees the same technology, especially physical AI used in AutoCaptain, simplifying many other tasks. — Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 17 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