mangrove

American  

[mang-grohv, man-] / ˈmæŋ groʊv, ˈmæn- /

noun

• mangroves
  plural

1. any tropical tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, the species of which are mostly low trees growing in marshes or tidal shores, noted for their interlacing above-ground adventitious roots.

2. any of various similar plants.

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mangrove British  

/ ˈmæŋɡrəʊv, ˈmæn- /

noun

1. 1. any tropical evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Rhizophora, having stiltlike intertwining aerial roots and growing below the highest tide levels in estuaries and along coasts, forming dense thickets: family Rhizophoraceae

   2. ( as modifier )

      mangrove swamp

2. any of various similar trees or shrubs of the genus Avicennia: family Avicenniaceae

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mangroves
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of mangrove

First recorded in 1605–15; alteration (by folk etymology) of earlier mangrow, from Portuguese mangue, ultimately derived from Taíno

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Explanation

A mangrove is a tree that grows in salty, tropical water near the coast. Most mangroves are found near the equator, though some grow as far north as Florida. Scientists explain the wide distribution of mangroves to the movement of the earth's plates. The oldest mangrove fossils are at least 75 million years old; these ancient, salt-loving trees adapted over time to filter sea water. Mangroves play a role in sustaining coastal areas, even staving off the worst effects of tsunamis. Experts aren't certain about the word's origin, but one theory traces it to a native West Indies language like Carib or Arawakan.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mangrove mangroves

Lamu hosts 70% of Kenya’s mangrove forests that provide a massive carbon sink and are vital breeding grounds for marine life and migratory birds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

These days, hikers flock to the island’s mangrove forests and divers to its coral reefs, teeming with turtles and pufferfish.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Researchers led by the University of Exeter, working with partners in Colombia and the United States, created a new computer model to examine how sea-level rise could affect carbon storage across entire mangrove forests.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

The findings were published in the journal Earth's Future in a paper titled "The importance of scale in the future of mangrove blue carbon under sea-level rise."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

Muralug Island itself, the island nearest Australia, was dry, marginal for agriculture, and supported only a small human population, which subsisted mainly on seafood, wild yams, and mangrove fruits.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Government studies have predicted that more than a third of those mangroves could be lost during development of the economic corridor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

"Lamu's mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds are not expendable. They support fisheries, livelihoods and coastal protection," the NGO said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

Most of that carbon is trapped in the soils beneath the trees, making mangroves an important ally in efforts to slow climate change.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

"This is good news for mangroves - there are more of them than we thought, and they are showing their resilience," said Dr Pete Bunting from Aberystwyth University, another of the authors.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

While the savannas and mangroves of coastal southern New Guinea are fairly similar to those of northern Australia, other habitats of the hemi-continents differ in almost all major respects.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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