adjective
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relating to, characterized by, or affected by tides
a tidal estuary
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dependent on the state of the tide
a tidal ferry
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(of a glacier) reaching the sea and discharging floes or icebergs
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tidal
Explanation
Anything tidal is related to the regular rise and fall of the sea level due to gravitational forces. A marine biologist might study the effects of tidal patterns on local sea life. Tidal conditions are caused by many things, from the rotation of the Earth to the position of the Moon, and tidal effects can be seen not just in the ocean tide itself, but in rivers, lakes, and currents, and even on the Earth's surface. A common name for a tsunami is a "tidal wave," although these earthquake-caused surges of ocean water don't actually have any connection to tides.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In March 2021, the company said it was buying an 86% stake in Tidal, a music-streaming service started by Jay-Z that was operating at a loss at the time.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
This might have surprised some people, because it looked like the beef had been squashed by 2015 when Lil Wayne got involved with Jay-Z's music platform Tidal and called him his "idol".
From BBC • Sep. 10, 2024
Humane retained Tidal Partners, an investment bank, to help navigate the discussions while also managing a new funding round that would value it at $1.1 billion, three people with knowledge of the plans said.
From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2024
Biden, in his remarks, passed up a chance to mention Stumpy, the gnarled and hollow old cherry tree that stands on the Tidal Basin’s south bank.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 10, 2024
If a ban were on the way, they’d hear shouts from all sides: “Ban! Ban! Tidal bore coming! Run for higher ground!”
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
