freshwater

American  

[fresh-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈfrɛʃˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər /

Or fresh-water

adjective

1. of or living in water that is fresh or not salt.

   freshwater fish.

2. accustomed to fresh water only, and not to the sea.

   a freshwater sailor.

3. small, provincial, or little known.

   a freshwater college.

4. Obsolete. untrained or of little experience.

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freshwater British  

/ ˈfrɛʃˌwɔːtə /

noun

1. of, relating to, or living in fresh water

2. (esp of a sailor who has not sailed on the sea) unskilled or inexperienced

3. small and little known

   a freshwater school

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freshwater Scientific  

/ frĕsh′wô′tər /

1. Consisting of or living in water that is not salty.

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Etymology

Origin of freshwater

First recorded in 1520–30; fresh + water

Explanation

The adjective freshwater describes an aquatic environment with very little salt, like a stream or a pond, or an animal that lives there. Water bodies that started as precipitation are freshwater, whether the water came from rain, snowfall, or melting glaciers. A freshwater lake, unlike a salt lake, sea, or ocean, has a low concentration of salts and other minerals. Freshwater bodies make up less than three percent of the earth's water. Freshwater fish and amphibians are the ones that are adapted to live in ponds, lakes, and streams, in contrast to those that thrive in salty water.

Example Sentences

If successful, Southern Water says the floating wetland technology could be deployed widely across the UK in both marine and freshwater environments.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Fresh vegetables and freshwater are running out on many ships, so the sailors are using social media and very-high-frequency marine radios to share survival tips and tactics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Another major UN assessment, published on Tuesday as the summit opened, warned that migratory freshwater fish populations crucial to river health and sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people are in freefall and risk collapse.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Together, these initiatives represent some of the most ambitious international efforts to protect migratory freshwater fish.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

The cabins there, paneled in exotic woods, were spacious, with built-in vanities, plush upholstered furniture, Persian rugs, bedside telephones, and private bathrooms with hot and cold freshwater showers.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown