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.
In Tehran this past weekend, Omani officials proposed establishing a Strait of Hormuz regional consortium that would oversee maritime security, search-and-rescue operations and other cooperation, said officials familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
It’s now only worsened with the threat to Saudi crude exports and maritime traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Some vessels have started rerouting away from the Red Sea after the Houthis announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
By forcing ships to turn back from the narrow Bab El Mandeb strait, they have threatened to choke off the main maritime route from Europe to Asia.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Among many other revelations, the underwater discoveries at Antikythera, Cape Gelidonya, and Uluburun led to vital new information about the nature of ships and maritime trading in the ancient Mediterranean world.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
