maritime
Americanadjective
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associated with the sea or waterways to the sea in relation to navigation, shipping, etc..
Maritime commerce accounts for trillions of dollars in annual U.S. economic activity.
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of or relating to the sea or waterways to the sea.
maritime resources.
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bordering on the sea.
picturesque maritime towns.
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living near or in the sea.
maritime plants.
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characteristic of a sailor; nautical.
She stands on the foredeck, glad to be wearing her maritime rain gear.
adjective
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of or relating to navigation, shipping, etc; seafaring
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of, relating to, near, or living near the sea
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(of a climate) having small temperature differences between summer and winter; equable
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of maritime
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin maritimus “pertaining to the sea,” equivalent to mari- (stem of mare “sea”) + -timus adjective suffix
Explanation
Use maritime to describe anything involving the sea and ships. A maritime museum would probably be located in a coastal town, and stuffed full of historic boats, oars, life preservers, and fishing gear. Maritime comes from the Latin word maritimus, which means "of the sea," so the meaning hasn't evolved much. Whales and dolphins are maritime animals, and according to maritime law, the captain of a ship can marry two people at sea. It's very similar to nautical, except nautical refers to ships, and maritime covers ships and other ocean-related stuff.
Vocabulary lists containing maritime
The Constitution of the United States
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Refugee
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Vocabulary from the Constitution of the United States
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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.
Activity in the southern corridor, approved by the United Nations’ maritime agency and watched over by the U.S. military, has helped transits return to about a third of their prewar levels.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
The spaceport said maritime and airspace users would be kept up-to-date by authorities.
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026
The latest fleet of submarines is a part of Carney's effort to increase military spending and intended to bolster the country's maritime sovereignty, especially in the Arctic.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
More than 23 million barrels -- 29 percent of total maritime oil flows -- crossed the strait in the first half of last year, the latest EIA data shows.
From Barron's • Jul. 6, 2026
The date was April 14, 1912, a sinister day in maritime history, but of course the man in suite 63-65, shelter deck C, did not yet know it.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
