aquarium

American  

[uh-kwair-ee-uhm] / əˈkwɛər i əm /

noun

• aquariums,
  plural
• aquaria
  plural

1. 

   a glass-sided tank, bowl, or the like, in which fish or other living aquatic animals or plants are kept.

2. a building or institution in which fish or other aquatic animals or plants are kept for exhibit, study, etc.

---

aquarium British  

/ əˈkwɛərɪəm /

noun

1. a tank, bowl, or pool in which aquatic animals and plants are kept for pleasure, study, or exhibition

2. a building housing a collection of aquatic life, as for exhibition

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• aquarial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• aquaria
  plural
• aquariums
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of aquarium

1840–50; blend of Latin aquārius of or for water ( aqu ( a ) water + -ārius -ary ) and vivarium; cf. -arium

---

Explanation

Aquarium can either describe a small tank, or an entire building that houses fish and other aquatic life. Your goldfish will probably feel right at home in the aquarium that's sitting on your desk, but a whale would be better off in a big aquarium where people buy tickets to see marine life. An aquarium can be small enough to fit in the average house, or big enough to house whales and accommodate millions of tourists each year. If you're talking about more than one of those tanks filled with fish and other marine life, you could say aquariums, but aquaria, from the original Latin term, is also an acceptable plural.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aquarium aquaria aquariums

Europe's largest aquarium, Oceanogràfic València in Spain, recorded the death of one beluga, Jelly Bean, and one dolphin, Echo.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

The Louvre was victimized last year by thieves who exploited the museum’s antiquated security in a specific wing, but the Mona Lisa—kept in a virtual aquarium when on public view—is another story.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The eggs will remain at the aquarium for the remainder of their 45- to 60-day incubation period.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

"It's not common for us to see them," said Lesser, the aquarium guide.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

The whole Scout troop, plus a few other visitors to the aquarium, stop to listen to her.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

To answer that question, genetically modified sea anemones were moved from laboratory aquaria into outdoor marine mesocosms supplied with natural estuarine water in South Carolina.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 30, 2026

We distributed many of them to other aquaria to raise awareness about this species.

From Slate ● Dec. 10, 2022

Most home marine aquaria house coral reef species that are wild-caught organisms—not cultured organisms.

From Textbooks ● Sep. 6, 2018

Earlier studies have sampled bacteria from human-built environments where animals live, such as cat shelters, aquaria, and zoos.

From National Geographic ● May 15, 2018

She loves to be among the living creatures, whether on the reefs or in her aquaria.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

They are still my favorite fish to observe in aquariums or the ocean.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

At this rainforest-like indoor farm, where creatures such as coral, tropical fish and sea cucumbers inhabit different aquariums, Kinjo bred "miracle coral" with extra resistance to warmer water.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

In the U.S. in the early ’90s, elements such as windows, plants and even aquariums were considered choices that might serve as symbolic material for the client.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026

Wealthy homeowners are spending big to install and maintain aquariums that look like living, three-dimensional art pieces.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026

Kate led them into an even larger chamber, lined with more aquariums.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---