marine

American  

[muh-reen] / məˈrin /

adjective

1. of or relating to the sea; existing in or produced by the sea.

   marine vegetation.

2. pertaining to navigation or shipping; nautical; naval; maritime.

3. serving on shipboard, as soldiers.

4. of or belonging to the marines.

5. adapted for use at sea.

   a marine barometer.

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noun

1. a member of the U.S. Marine Corps.

2. one of a class of naval troops serving both on shipboard and on land.

3. seagoing ships collectively, especially with reference to nationality or class; shipping in general.

4. a picture with a marine subject; seascape.

5. naval affairs, or the department of a government, as in France, having to do with such affairs.

idioms

1. dead marine, an empty bottle of beer or spirits.

2. tell it / that to the marines! I don't believe your story; I refuse to be fooled.

marine British  

/ məˈriːn /

adjective

1. of, found in, or relating to the sea

2. of or relating to shipping, navigation, etc

3. of or relating to a body of seagoing troops

   marine corps

4. of or relating to a government department concerned with maritime affairs

5. used or adapted for use at sea

   a marine camera

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noun

1. shipping and navigation in general

   the merchant marine

2. (capital when part of a name) a member of a marine corps or similar body

3. a picture of a ship, seascape, etc

4. informal an expression of disbelief

marine Scientific  

/ mə-rēn′ /

1. Relating to the sea.

2. Relating to a system of open-ocean and unprotected coastal habitats, characterized by exposure to wave action, tidal fluctuation, and ocean currents and by the absence of trees, shrubs, or emergent vegetation. Water in the marine system is at or near the full salinity of seawater.

3. Compare lacustrine palustrine riverine

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Other Word Forms

• intermarine
  adjective
• nonmarine
  adjective
• semimarine
  adjective
• supermarine
  adjective
• unmarine
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of marine

1325–75; Middle English maryne < Middle French marin (feminine marine ) < Latin marīnus of the sea, derivative of mare sea; see -ine ¹

Explanation

If it has to do with the ocean or sea, you can call it marine. Your friend in the U.S. Armed Services who is a Marine probably spends a lot of time near the ocean. Marine life is everything that lives in the water: plants, fish, sharks, algae, crabs, seahorses, giant squid, and the list goes on and on. When you study things that live in or near the sea, you are either a marine biologist or just really excited about ocean life. If you work in a field that deals with the ocean, boats, sailors or the navy you could be, for instance, a marine meteorologist.

Example Sentences

Singapore-based Synergy Marine, its India-based subsidiary Synergy Maritime, and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair were charged with conspiracy, obstruction, and false statements.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

Synergy Marine, the company that operated the ship, along with one of its employees, has been charged with conspiracy, obstruction and misconduct resulting in death, among other offences.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

A Marine expeditionary unit was sent from Okinawa to the region for the potential operation.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Otherwise it would just be a major coincidence that Rubio and Marine Corps Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of Southern Command, posed for a photo in front of a map of Cuba.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

“Major Finch was the exception. He was not seduced by the myth of the Marine Corps.”

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• aquatic
• coastal
• deep-sea
• maritime
• naval
• saltwater
• seagoing