estuary

noun

es·​tu·​ary ˈes-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce estuary (audio)
ˈesh-
plural estuaries
: a water passage where the tide meets a river current
especially : an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river

Did you know?

A partly enclosed coastal body of water in which river water is mixed with seawater is called an estuary. An estuary is thus defined by salinity rather than geography. Many coastal features designated by other names are in fact estuaries (for instance, Chesapeake Bay). Some of the oldest continuous civilizations have flourished in estuarine environments (for example, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Nile delta, and the Ganges delta). Cities such as London (Thames River), New York (Hudson River), and Montreal (St. Lawrence River) developed on estuaries and became important commercial centers.

Examples of estuary in a Sentence

the city sits on the shores of a deep estuary where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean
Recent Examples on the Web The reason was an earth wall—known as a bund, built more than half a century ago where the estuary of the local river meets the sea—that blocked off incoming seawater to transform the saltwater wetlands into a ponded freshwater pasture for cattle farming. Bianca Nogrady, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024 Overlooking Boston Harbor, the museum has a stunning view of the estuary. Lauren Sloss, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2024 While efforts are currently underway to get rid of legacy pollution that still sits at the river bottom and restore native habitat, the estuary was the only area to decrease in grade in 2022. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2024 Dominating a small park by a river estuary in Midleton, gleaming in the sunshine, are nine stainless steel eagle feathers, 20 feet high and arranged in the shape of a bowl. Richard Grant, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023 This 1,100-square-mile estuary drains a vast watershed, bringing together about half of all river flows in the state and contributing to the supplies of three out of every five Californians. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 In the absence of sea otters, the crabs have been living in the Elkhorn Slough estuary without its main predator around, Hughes said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2024 After many grant applications and coordination, a multi-agency effort in 2013 brought the estuary back to pristine condition. Will McCarthy, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2024 My research focuses on coastal ecology and water pollution, including work in New York and New Jersey marshes and estuaries that are heavily affected by human activities. Judith Weis, The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'estuary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin aestuarium, from aestus boiling, tide; akin to Latin aestas summer — more at edify

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of estuary was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near estuary

Cite this Entry

“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

estuary

noun
es·​tu·​ary ˈes-chə-ˌwer-ē How to pronounce estuary (audio)
plural estuaries
: a passage where the tide meets a river current
especially : an arm of the sea at the lower end of a river
estuarine
ˈes-chə-wə-ˌrīn
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on estuary

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