freshwater
Americanadjective
-
of or living in water that is fresh or not salt.
freshwater fish.
-
accustomed to fresh water only, and not to the sea.
a freshwater sailor.
-
small, provincial, or little known.
a freshwater college.
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Obsolete. untrained or of little experience.
noun
-
of, relating to, or living in fresh water
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(esp of a sailor who has not sailed on the sea) unskilled or inexperienced
-
small and little known
a freshwater school
Etymology
Origin of freshwater
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.
Vocabulary lists containing freshwater
South America - Middle School
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Russia - Introductory
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South America - Introductory
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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.
If the fish remain in freshwater, they’ll be considered rainbows.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
The two men also tried to obtain more than 200 freshwater reptiles from Albert Bazaar of Louisiana, who was detained last week on animal trafficking charges, according to officials.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
The fossil site also points to an ancient river environment filled with fish, freshwater sharks, and crocodiles.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
Luján said boosting investment in water-reuse infrastructure “will help conserve freshwater, support local communities, and provide businesses the certainty they need to grow and create jobs.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
But what were seafaring fish doing in a freshwater pond?
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
