brackish

American  

[brak-ish] / ˈbræk ɪʃ /

adjective

1. somewhat salty or briny, as the water in an estuary or salt marsh, which is not as salty as the sea but saltier than a river.

   These brackish swamps are some of the state’s most important ecosystems.

2. distasteful; unpleasant.

   The coffee was brackish and stale.

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brackish British  

/ ˈbrækɪʃ /

adjective

1. (of water) slightly briny or salty

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brackish Scientific  

/ brăk′ĭsh /

1. Containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water. Brackish water is somewhat salty.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• brackishness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of brackish

First recorded in 1550–60; from Dutch brak “salty” + -ish ¹ (in the sense “somewhat”)

Explanation

Something that is brackish is unpleasant and harsh, like the coffee you left on too long or the water in a muddy pond. The adjective brackish has roots in the Dutch word brac, meaning salty, and the word is used literally to describe water that is salty. You’ll often find brackish water in areas where salty seawater mixes with freshwater, such as "the brackish water of a Louisiana bayou." The word can be used more generally, however, to describe something that is distasteful and harsh, not just salty. When used in this way you’ll still most likely hear the term applied to liquids, such as a brackish tea that makes you wrinkle your nose when you taste it.

Example Sentences

Brackish water that creeps into the system isn’t as salty as ocean water, but it’s salty enough to render it undrinkable for some crops and for people.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 8, 2022

The groom wore a dark navy Hugo Boss Suit, black shoes from Alan Edmon, a shirt from Proper Cloth and bow tie from Brackish.

From New York Times • Aug. 30, 2019

Brackish groundwater, which is water that is less salty than seawater but too salty to drink, can be found throughout much of Texas.

From Forbes • Dec. 19, 2014

Brackish mangrove swamps and remote beaches are being envisaged as golf courses and plots for five-star bungalows with private pools.

From Time Magazine Archive

Brackish water spurted at his hooves, but Taran guided the powerful stallion along what seemed a chain of submerged islands, never stopping even when he reached the far side of the swamp.

From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander