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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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

Protesters say the estimated $4.6-billion luxury hotel development slated for construction in Zvernec poses a risk to the environment and to a nearby lagoon critical to migrating birds.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

Professor Eduardo Salazar-Ortuño led the battle to grant the recognition to Mar Menor in Murcia, Spain, after the ecology of the lagoon collapsed in 2016.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 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

Many were repatriated to the lagoon at the mouth of the creek in a moving ceremony last June.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

Thorn pointed ahead, and there, through the now open path, was a lagoon, shining with beautiful crystal-clear waters and what looked like hundreds of blue lightning bugs.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

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

Gray whales are known for their long migration between food-rich Arctic waters and the warm lagoons of Baja Mexico.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 13, 2026

It’s meticulously organized perfection: Its various neighborhoods, gated communities, parks, and street are pristine and feature shallow lagoons and golf courses, palm trees and hibiscus, blue skies and backyard swimming pools.

From Slate ● Dec. 18, 2025

Fringed by sparkling lagoons, South Pacific nation the Cook Islands has opened its vast ocean territory for deep-sea mining exploration.

From Barron's ● Nov. 8, 2025

The drawing envisioned a mile-square plain on the lakeshore sculpted by dredges into a wonderland of lagoons and canals.

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

Related Words

• bayou
• pond
• pool