lagoon

American  

[luh-goon] / ləˈgun /

noun

• lagoons
  plural

1. an area of shallow water separated from the sea by low sandy dunes.

2. Also lagune any small, pondlike body of water, especially one connected with a larger body of water.

3. an artificial pool for storage and treatment of polluted or excessively hot sewage, industrial waste, etc.

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lagoon British  

/ ləˈɡuːn /

noun

1. a body of water cut off from the open sea by coral reefs or sand bars

2. any small body of water, esp one adjoining a larger one

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lagoon Scientific  

/ lə-go̅o̅n′ /

1. A shallow body of salt water close to the sea but separated from it by a narrow strip of land, such as a barrier island, or by a coral reef.

2. A shallow pond or lake close to a larger lake or river but separated from it by a barrier such as a levee.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• lagoonal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lagoons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lagoon

1605–15; earlier laguna (singular), lagune (plural) < Italian < Latin lacūna (singular), lacūnae (plural) “ditch, pool,” akin to lacus basin, lake ¹; see lacuna

Explanation

If you are snorkeling off the coast of Florida in water cut off from the main ocean, you are likely in a lagoon — a body of water separated from the main ocean. If you’re familiar with the 60s TV show “Gilligan’s Island,” you probably already know what a lagoon is. Much of the show’s action took place at the lagoon, where the lovable castaways spent their time hanging around and planning how to be rescued. A lagoon is a good place for castaways to congregate because it’s shallow and separated from the ocean by a natural barrier, which means it’s protected from the rough waters of the ocean and offers easier access for swimming and fishing. If you’re ever stranded on a deserted island, you too would probably choose to spend your time at the lagoon, staring into the distance and watching for approaching ships.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lagoon lagoons

In the 1980s, a fire at the lagoon at Llwyneinion near Ruabon in Wrexham took 60 firefighters more than 18 hours to bring under control.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Forbes was also a public figure in a proposal to redevelop Fisherman’s Wharf, which envisions constructing a public plaza and adding a new overlook and lighting to the wharf’s inner lagoon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Salt production began in Ulcinj almost a century ago, when the natural lagoon was transformed into a network of shallow evaporating basins.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

Flamingoes feed in a lagoon on the thin peninsula—protesters call the demonstrations the flamingo revolution—and sheep graze next to locals swimming in the ocean.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

The sun floated over the mountains, stained the blue sky red-orange, and flattened the lagoon until it looked like a mirror for the stars.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

The heat has warmed the lagoons, boosting the growth of algae that cover the shellfish.

From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026

Meanwhile, environmental restoration has made some of Brazil’s urban riverbanks and lagoons friendlier to capybaras.

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

And local deliberations rarely compare the impact of solar farms to common agricultural practices, which can lead to runoff from fertilizers and herbicides, for example, or waste lagoons from concentrated animal feeding operations.

From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026

It has the largest tidal reedbed in England and wildfowl and waders feed and nest in the six shallow lagoons, marshland and mudflats.

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026

Olmsted’s plans alone would make the exposition unique, with lagoons, canals, and great lawns all set against the cobalt-blue steppe of Lake Michigan.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Related Words

• bayou
• pond
• pool