Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

estuarine

American  
[es-choo-uh-rahyn, -er-in] / ˈɛs tʃu əˌraɪn, -ər ɪn /

adjective

  1. formed in an estuary.

  2. found in estuaries.


estuarine British  
/ -rɪn, ˈɛstjʊəˌraɪn /

adjective

  1. formed or deposited in an estuary

    estuarine muds

  2. growing in, inhabiting, or found in an estuary

    an estuarine fauna

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of estuarine

First recorded in 1840–50; estuar(y) + -ine 1

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.

See Examples For:

The estuarine crocodile, known in Australia as the saltwater crocodile, regularly moves between rivers and the open ocean, hunting wherever prey is available.

From Science Daily Dec. 15, 2025

The beach is also home to several diverse habitats, including riparian, estuarine, coastal dune and marine.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 18, 2024

Without available estuarine habitat, young fish may plunge into the saltwater before they’re ready, reducing their chances of survival.

From Seattle Times Apr. 21, 2023

The saltwater, or estuarine, crocodile has lived for millions of years in Australia.

From New York Times Aug. 15, 2022

At any time the discovery of an estuarine or lacustrine deposit of Silurian age might wonderfully extend our knowledge of this ancient flora.

From The Chain of Life in Geological Time A Sketch of the Origin and Succession of Animals and Plants by Dawson, Sir J. William

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training