estuary
noun
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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
Sergio Candido, CBS News, 16 June 2026
Stuart’s home county, Martin County, sits on the most biodiverse estuary in the Northern Hemisphere and is home to 100 artificial reef systems and more than 800 species of fish.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, spanning 64,000 square miles of watershed, six states, 18 million people and centuries of history and culture tied to its health.
—Serena C. McIlwain, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026
In exchange, China could seek greater access to the estuary of the Tumen River, which forms part of the border between the two countries, and navigational rights in waters off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast.
—ABC News, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for estuary
Cite this Entry
“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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estuary
noun
