mangrove

American  

[mang-grohv, man-] / ˈmæŋ groʊv, ˈmæn- /

noun

• mangroves
  plural

1. any tropical tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, the species of which are mostly low trees growing in marshes or tidal shores, noted for their interlacing above-ground adventitious roots.

2. any of various similar plants.

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mangrove British  

/ ˈmæŋɡrəʊv, ˈmæn- /

noun

1. 1. any tropical evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, having stiltlike intertwining aerial roots and growing below the highest tide levels in estuaries and along coasts, forming dense thickets: family Rhizophoraceae

   2. ( as modifier )

      mangrove swamp

2. any of various similar trees or shrubs of the genus Avicennia: family Avicenniaceae

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mangroves
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of mangrove

First recorded in 1605–15; alteration (by folk etymology) of earlier mangrow, from Portuguese mangue, ultimately derived from Taíno

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Explanation

A mangrove is a tree that grows in salty, tropical water near the coast. Most mangroves are found near the equator, though some grow as far north as Florida. Scientists explain the wide distribution of mangroves to the movement of the earth's plates. The oldest mangrove fossils are at least 75 million years old; these ancient, salt-loving trees adapted over time to filter sea water. Mangroves play a role in sustaining coastal areas, even staving off the worst effects of tsunamis. Experts aren't certain about the word's origin, but one theory traces it to a native West Indies language like Carib or Arawakan.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mangrove mangroves

Lamu hosts 70% of Kenya’s mangrove forests that provide a massive carbon sink and are vital breeding grounds for marine life and migratory birds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

Researchers carried out the study in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh, one of the country's last major refuges for saltwater crocodiles.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

These days, hikers flock to the island’s mangrove forests and divers to its coral reefs, teeming with turtles and pufferfish.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

The findings were published in the journal Earth's Future in a paper titled "The importance of scale in the future of mangrove blue carbon under sea-level rise."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

It was a full moon, so the whole island would be illuminated with light except for the most dense corners of the mangrove forest.

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins

In 2023 alone, the group planted 18,000 corals and 10,000 mangroves.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

Government studies have predicted that more than a third of those mangroves could be lost during development of the economic corridor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

As mangroves die and carbon-rich soils erode, carbon that had been locked away can be released back into the environment.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

These benefits, though, have come under serious threat over the past century as the rise of fish farming, agriculture and the expansion of coastal cities and towns have seen mangroves chopped down and rapidly removed.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

Across the estuary from the town one section of mangroves stood clear and telescopically defined, while another mangrove clump was a hazy black-green blob.

From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck

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