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
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
The latest details: Alarmingly high concentrations of heavy metals were found at Elkhorn Slough, California’s second-largest estuary.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025
Day visitors and overnight guests can utilize a variety of rental options to explore the quiet wetlands of the Colorado River estuary.
—Mariah Tyler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2025
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, 7 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 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
estuary
noun
Share