marginal sea

[ mahr-juh-nl see ]

noun
  1. Oceanography. a division of an ocean that lies along a continental edge and is partially separated from the open ocean by islands, peninsulas, land ridges, etc.: for example, the Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Philippine Sea, and Bay of Bengal.

  2. International Law. a coastal body of water regarded in connection with the territorial waters of a state or nation, in that the territorial waters include a designated portion of it.

Origin of marginal sea

1
First recorded in 1805–10

Words Nearby marginal sea

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023