estuary
noun
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
Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2025
Newsom insists that the project is needed to increase the reliability of delta water deliveries as climate change alters Sierra snowpack runoff and the sea level rises, making the vast estuary more salty.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
The roughly 26-foot-long creature of nightmares is believed to have lived between 82 million and 75 million years ago, dining on dinosaurs in the rivers and estuaries of North America.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
The study, published Wednesday, found that the rig shark -- also known as the spotted estuary smoothhound -- produces clicking sounds when handled, according to the study.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for estuary
Cite this Entry
“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
estuary
noun
Share