wetland

[wet-land]

noun

1. Often wetlands. land that has a wet and spongy soil, as a marsh, swamp, or bog.

wetland

/ ˈwɛtlənd /

noun

1. (sometimes plural)

   1. an area of swampy or marshy land, esp considered as part of an ecological system

   2. ( as modifier )

      wetland species

wetland

1. A low-lying area of land that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife. Marshes, swamps, and bogs are examples of wetlands.

2. See more at lacustrine marine palustrine riverine

Word History and Origins

Origin of wetland¹

First recorded in 1770–80; wet + -land

A Closer Look

Wetlands are areas such as swamps, bogs, and marshes where water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface, particularly in the root zone, at least a good portion of the year, including the growing season. In the past, wetlands were generally considered unproductive or undesirable lands—smelly and unhealthful, a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests—and many were filled in to create farmland or to develop land for housing and industrial use. More than half of the original wetlands in the continental United States have disappeared in the name of reclamation, disease prevention, and flood control. Scientists now realize that, far from being noxious barrens, wetlands play a key role in the ecosystem. They act as filters, removing pollutants, including metals, from waters. They serve as reservoirs, and they aid flood and erosion control by absorbing excess water. Wetlands are home to a great variety of plant and animal species, some endangered, that have evolved to live in the wetland's unique conditions. The preservation and, where possible, restoration of these vital habitats has become a primary goal of environmentalists around the world.

Example Sentences

Coconut fibers broken down by millipedes may serve as a sustainable replacement for peat moss, a material commonly used to start seedlings but often sourced from fragile wetland ecosystems.

Read more on Science Daily

SpaceX paid nearly $500,000 this year to resolve Environmental Protection Agency allegations that it discharged cooling water after launches and engine tests into nearby wetlands.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Nygren-Burkert said trash and urban waste are the main threats to the river and surrounding wetlands but are mitigated by volunteer-led local aquarium monitoring and wetland restoration efforts.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The larvae among the species are aquatic, living among dense vegetation in wetlands, while the adults fly from spring until early August.

Read more on BBC

The Natural History Museum's gardens opened in 2024, and features grassland, wetland and woodland habitats, and are described as a living laboratory where visitors and scientists can identify and monitor wildlife in an urban environment.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bog 
• glade