maritime
adjective
mar·i·time
ˈmer-ə-ˌtīm 
ˈma-rə-
1
: of, relating to, or bordering on the sea
a maritime province
2
: of or relating to navigation or commerce on the sea
3
: having the characteristics of a mariner
Did you know?
The maritime countries of Portugal and England produced many seafaring explorers during the 16th and 17th centuries, many of whom sailed under the flags of other countries. Sailing for the Spanish, Ferdinand Magellan captained the ship that was the first to circle the world, charting many new maritime routes as it went. Henry Hudson, funded by the Dutch, sailed up what we call today the Hudson River, claiming the maritime area that now includes New York City for the Netherlands.
Examples of maritime in a Sentence
The country's maritime industry is an important part of its economy.
She's an expert in maritime law.
Recent Examples on the Web
Materials used to kit out these areas also reflect Liverpool’s maritime past — again the intention being to make supporters feel at home in plush, new surroundings that could not be more of a contrast to Goodison.
—
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
China asserts sovereignty over more than 80 percent of the South China Sea, a conduit for roughly one-third of global maritime trade and believed to hold vast oil and gas reserves.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
India’s ambitions to become a global maritime stronghold now have a hefty price tag—a cool $1 trillion.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
Its size suggests deployment from heavy bombers or large warships, giving the PLA Navy a long-range maritime strike tool to bypass traditional missile defenses.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maritime
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Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
China asserts sovereignty over more than 80 percent of the South China Sea, a conduit for roughly one-third of global maritime trade and believed to hold vast oil and gas reserves.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
India’s ambitions to become a global maritime stronghold now have a hefty price tag—a cool $1 trillion.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
Its size suggests deployment from heavy bombers or large warships, giving the PLA Navy a long-range maritime strike tool to bypass traditional missile defenses.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maritime
Cite this Entry
“Maritime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maritime. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
maritime
adjective
mar·i·time
ˈmar-ə-ˌtīm
1
: of, relating to, or bordering on the sea
maritime nations
2
: of or relating to navigation or commerce on the sea
maritime law
Legal Definition
maritime
adjective
mar·i·time
ˈmar-ə-ˌtīm
: of or relating to navigation or commerce on navigable waters
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