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• marsh
  marsh

  noun

  a tract of low wet land, often treeless and periodically inundated, generally characterized by a growth of grasses, sedges, cattails, and rushes.
• Marsh
  Marsh

  noun

  Dame (Edith) Ngaio 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.

marsh

¹ American  

[mahrsh] / mɑrʃ /

noun

• marshes
  plural

1. a tract of low wet land, often treeless and periodically inundated, generally characterized by a growth of grasses, sedges, cattails, and rushes.

   Synonyms:

   wetland, marshland, fen, bog, swamp

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Marsh ² American  

[mahrsh] / mɑrʃ /

noun

1. Dame (Edith) Ngaio 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.

2. Reginald, 1898–1954, U.S. painter and illustrator.

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marsh ¹ British  

/ mɑːʃ /

noun

1. low poorly drained land that is sometimes flooded and often lies at the edge of lakes, streams, etc Compare swamp

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Marsh ² British  

/ mɑːʃ /

noun

1. Dame ( Edith ) Ngaio (ˈnaɪəʊ). 1899–1981, New Zealand crime writer, living in Britain (from 1928). Her many detective novels include Final Curtain (1947) and Last Ditch (1977)

2. Rodney ( William ). born 1947, Australian cricketer: a wicketkeeper, he took 355 dismissals in 96 test matches (1970–84)

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marsh Scientific  

/ märsh /

1. An area of low-lying wetland in which the level of water is generally shallow and often fluctuating. The water may be either standing or slow-moving. The water in a marsh is also more or less neutral or alkaline, in contrast to the water in a bog, which is acidic. The environment of a marsh is in general well-oxygenated and nutrient-rich and allows a great variety of organisms to flourish. In contrast to a swamp, in which there is an abundance of woody plants, the plants in a marsh are mostly herbaceous. Reeds and rushes dominate the vegetation of marshes.

2. See also salt marsh

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• marshlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• marshes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of marsh

before 900; Middle English mershe, Old English mer ( i ) sc (cognate with German Marsch ). See mere ², -ish ¹; cf. marais, marish, morass

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Explanation

A marsh is an area in transition from land to water. It is a very bad idea to go walking in a marsh in your best shoes; try some fishing boots, or perhaps a boat. The word marsh comes from the old Dutch word mere, for sea, and it means land that is sea-ish… not sea, but sea-ish, like most of Holland. Marshes can be found often where a river empties into the sea, or along the side of a low, flooded river. Another word for marsh is swamp. If you’re in trouble or just want to be alone, a marsh is a great place to hide: no one will follow you. Just don’t forget your galoshes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

marsh Marsh marshes

The dinosaur ended up in a salty marsh, where conditions slowed decomposition and helped preserve the fragile network of blood vessels.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

An area of wet woodland and marsh has been acquired alongside pastureland south of the River Sow.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Water district officials said the swamp hen was still at the marsh as of Wednesday night.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

The number and variety of plants increased over time, including locally rare species such as southern marsh orchid, greater tussock-sedge, yellow rattle and common centaury.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026

“But the marsh is our home,” I said.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

As of the end of September, the plans’ estimated aggregate surplus increased by $6 billion, to $181 billion, compared with a $175 billion surplus at the end of August, Marsh says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Remembering to treat each person with kindness in those circumstances can be a challenge, said Dr Adrian Marsh, an emergency medicine consultant at the Princess Royal Hospital.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

For several days after the arrest, police were seen searching Mountbatten-Windsor's property at Marsh Farm in Sandringham and at his former home, Royal Lodge, on the Windsor estate.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Good managers will explain small raises to well-paid workers, says Tauseef Rahman, U.S. workforce reward solutions leader at professional-services firm Marsh, formerly known as Mercer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

“These are the counts from three turns ago,” Marsh told Jon, offering him a thick sheaf of papers, “for comparison with our present stores. Shall we start with the granaries?”

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Evidence from the fossil deposits indicates that some of these snakes inhabited tidal environments, while others occupied swamps and marshes.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

Water will only be needed for everyday uses, such as toilets and staff facilities, with none taken from nearby rivers or marshes.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

North American river otters live in rivers, lakes, streams, marshes and on seacoasts, according to the conservation group River Otter Ecology Project.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

Dick Dale is a New York landscape painter who boards at the Owen family farm in the salt marshes of northeastern Massachusetts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

“After you were gone last night, I told my friend of the struggle that the soldiers found you engaged in on the marshes, when we came up. You remember?”

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

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