marsh

¹ American  

[mahrsh] / mɑrʃ /

noun

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

• marshlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of marsh

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

Example Sentences

In 1926, he bought 435 acres of marsh at Cley next the Sea "as a bird-breeding sanctuary for all time".

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

In no time, I was in unfamiliar territory: The sun rose over spoonbills and egrets standing in shallow water as a lone kayaker navigated fields of marsh grass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

He carved out a narrow ditch between the cliff and steps, and that became a recirculating stream that flows into a little marsh full of frogs, butterflies and dragonflies.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2024

Malaria is carried by dozens of species of Anopheles mosquitoes, also known as marsh or nail mosquitoes.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2024

Their song filled the forest and drifted over the quiet marsh.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce