tidewater

noun

tide·​wa·​ter ˈtīd-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

1

: water overflowing land at flood tide

also : water affected by the ebb and flow of the tide

2

: low-lying coastal land

Examples of tidewater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Early-warning system As climate change accelerates the retreat of tidewater glaciers and thaws the permafrost holding Arctic mountains together, the structural integrity of these landscapes is failing. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 May 2026

Once a giant excavator bit into the levee to breach it, the tribe welcomed tidewater onto the land for the first time in over a century. — John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026

Tracy Arm, southeast of Juneau, is a roughly 30-mile (50-kilometer) fjord that features two tidewater glaciers — the North and South Sawyer — and wildlife, including seals and bears. — ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026

The boat ride includes a visit to two tidewater glaciers, Beloit and Blackstone, as well as numerous waterfalls. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tidewater

• imprimatur
• underwater
• auteur
• blotter
• cotter
• daughter
• hotter
• mater
• otter
• plotter
• rotter
• slaughter

Kids Definition

tidewater

noun

tide·​wa·​ter -ˌwȯt-ər 

-ˌwät-

1

: water overflowing land at high tide

2

: low-lying coastal land

Geographical Definition

Tidewater

geographical name

Tide·​wa·​ter ˈtīd-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

low-lying region of eastern Virginia extending from Chesapeake Bay to the Piedmont; site of the first English settlements in America