estuary

[ es-choo-er-ee ]

noun

, plural es·tu·ar·ies.

1. that part of the mouth or lower course of a river in which the river's current meets the sea's tide.
2. an arm or inlet of the sea at the lower end of a river.

estuary

/ ˈɛstjʊərɪ; ˌɛstjʊˈɛərɪəl /

noun

1. the widening channel of a river where it nears the sea, with a mixing of fresh water and salt (tidal) water
2. an inlet of the sea

estuary

/ ĕs′cho̅o̅-ĕr′ē /

1. The wide lower course of a river where it flows into the sea. Estuaries experience tidal flows and their water is a changing mixture of fresh and salt.
2. An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.

estuary

1. A wide body of water formed where a large river meets the sea. It contains both fresh and salt water.

Derived Forms

• estuarial, adjective

Other Words From

• es·tu·ar·i·al [es-choo-, air, -ee-, uh, l], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of estuary¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin aestuārium “channel, creek, inlet,” from aestu(s) “fire, heat, tide” + -ārium -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of estuary¹

C16: from Latin aestuārium marsh, channel, from aestus tide, billowing movement, related to aestās summer

Example Sentences

The largest estuary in North America, the bay is known for its beauty and bounty.

From Washington Post

Instead, the waters there were not of an expansive estuary but of a river — the Susquehanna — in its final stretch before flowing into the Atlantic.

From Washington Post

Apalachicola Bay, an estuary recognized by the United Nations for its uniqueness, once produced 10 percent of the nation’s oysters and 90 percent of those from Florida.

From Washington Post

Birders will want to check out the estuary at Weeks Bay Reserve or Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

From Outside Online

Students spend hours each week learning from the tidal estuary and boreal forest on the 400-acre campus in mid-coast Maine, about 40 miles north of Portland.

From Outside Online

Ghost Hawk arose like a mist from the estuary salt-marsh on the South Shore where she built her island home.

From The Daily Beast

The estuary where religion and politics intersect is constantly changing.

From The Daily Beast

Joseph paused for a few second, staring out across the estuary.

From The Daily Beast

At 20 years old, Henry waded into an estuary and nearly drowned in an attempt to swim across.

From The Daily Beast

Since then alluvial plains have filled this estuary to even beyond the original mouth.

From Project Gutenberg

Even in early historic times its estuary must have occupied a great part of the land on which stands modern Dover.

From Project Gutenberg

The harbour, formed by the estuary of the river and Yellow Mill Pond, an inlet, is excellent.

From Project Gutenberg

Yacht-building has always been vigorously carried on in the Great Estuary for three generations.

From Project Gutenberg

Towards the west it is skirted by a cliff, once washed by the estuary which separated the eastern portions of Norfolk and Suffolk.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• inlet
• waterway