brackish

American  

[brak-ish] / ˈbræk ɪʃ /

adjective

1. somewhat salty or briny, as the water in an estuary or salt marsh, which is not as salty as the sea but saltier than a river.

   These brackish swamps are some of the state’s most important ecosystems.

2. distasteful; unpleasant.

   The coffee was brackish and stale.

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brackish British  

/ ˈbrækɪʃ /

adjective

1. (of water) slightly briny or salty

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brackish Scientific  

/ brăk′ĭsh /

1. Containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water. Brackish water is somewhat salty.

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Other Word Forms

• brackishness noun

Etymology

Origin of brackish

First recorded in 1550–60; from Dutch brak “salty” + -ish ¹ (in the sense “somewhat”)

Example Sentences

"Bull sharks thrive in warm, brackish water, which most other sharks flee," she told the BBC.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Genetic and physical analyses confirmed that the species belongs to the genus Diplolaimelloides, a group typically found in coastal marine and brackish waters.

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2026

Just outside the city, it is pumping brackish groundwater from wells and discharging it into the Nueces River, which flows into a water treatment plant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025

Not brackish at all, according to Berkowitz, who says the ducks dig in the soil for bugs, then bring the dirt into the water.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2024

He greeted us in turn, nosing us for a pat, then splashed into the shallows and slurped at the brackish water.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly