aquarium

noun

aquar·​i·​um ə-ˈkwer-ē-əm 

plural aquariums or aquaria ə-ˈkwer-ē-ə 

1

: a container (such as a glass tank) or an artificial pond in which living aquatic animals or plants are kept

2

: an establishment where aquatic organisms are kept and exhibited

Examples of aquarium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ghost, a giant Pacific octopus, has entered the final stage of her life – senescence, the Long Beach aquarium said. —Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2025

One twists and turns in pitch darkness before emerging in bright blue light as the tube glides through a clear tunnel in the middle of a giant aquarium. —Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Zoo Miami funds Lion Landscapes, which helps protect wild lions, and works with other zoos and aquariums to save them and other animals from extinction. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025

Series organizer Cheryl Peach said the aquarium recently constructed broad themes for the lecture series. —Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably alteration of aquatic vivarium

First Known Use

circa 1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aquarium

• tropical aquarium

Rhymes for aquarium

• herbarium
• ovarium
• puparium
• samarium
• zoarium
• armamentarium
• cerium
• honorarium
• planetarium
• sanitarium

Kids Definition

aquarium

noun

aquar·​i·​um ə-ˈkwar-ē-əm 

-ˈkwer-

plural aquariums or aquaria

-ē-ə

: a container (as a glass tank) in which living water animals or plants are kept

also : an establishment where collections of such animals or plants are kept and shown