estuary

[ es-choo-er-ee ]
See synonyms for estuary on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural es·tu·ar·ies.
  1. that part of the mouth or lower course of a river in which the river's current meets the sea's tide.

  2. an arm or inlet of the sea at the lower end of a river.

Origin of estuary

1
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin aestuārium “channel, creek, inlet,” from aestu(s) “fire, heat, tide” + -ārium -ary

Other words from estuary

  • es·tu·ar·i·al [es-choo-air-ee-uhl], /ˌɛs tʃuˈɛər i əl/, adjective

Words that may be confused with estuary

Words Nearby estuary

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How to use estuary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for estuary

estuary

/ (ˈɛstjʊərɪ) /


nounplural -aries
  1. the widening channel of a river where it nears the sea, with a mixing of fresh water and salt (tidal) water

  2. an inlet of the sea

Origin of estuary

1
C16: from Latin aestuārium marsh, channel, from aestus tide, billowing movement, related to aestās summer

Derived forms of estuary

  • estuarial (ˌɛstjʊˈɛərɪəl), adjective

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

Scientific definitions for estuary

estuary

[ ĕschōō-ĕr′ē ]


  1. The wide lower course of a river where it flows into the sea. Estuaries experience tidal flows and their water is a changing mixture of fresh and salt.

  2. An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for estuary

estuary

[ (es-chooh-er-ee) ]


A wide body of water formed where a large river meets the sea. It contains both fresh and salt water.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.