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• marsh
  marsh

  noun

  a tract of low wet land, often treeless and periodically inundated, generally characterized by a growth of grasses, sedges, cattails, and rushes.
• Marsh
  Marsh

  noun

  Dame (Edith) Ngaio 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.

marsh

¹ American  

[mahrsh] / mɑrʃ /

noun

• marshes
  plural

1. a tract of low wet land, often treeless and periodically inundated, generally characterized by a growth of grasses, sedges, cattails, and rushes.

   Synonyms:

   wetland, marshland, fen, bog, swamp

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Marsh ² American  

[mahrsh] / mɑrʃ /

noun

1. Dame (Edith) Ngaio 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.

2. Reginald, 1898–1954, U.S. painter and illustrator.

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marsh ¹ British  

/ mɑːʃ /

noun

1. low poorly drained land that is sometimes flooded and often lies at the edge of lakes, streams, etc Compare swamp

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Marsh ² British  

/ mɑːʃ /

noun

1. Dame ( Edith ) Ngaio (ˈnaɪəʊ). 1899–1981, New Zealand crime writer, living in Britain (from 1928). Her many detective novels include Final Curtain (1947) and Last Ditch (1977)

2. Rodney ( William ). born 1947, Australian cricketer: a wicketkeeper, he took 355 dismissals in 96 test matches (1970–84)

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marsh Scientific  

/ märsh /

1. An area of low-lying wetland in which the level of water is generally shallow and often fluctuating. The water may be either standing or slow-moving. The water in a marsh is also more or less neutral or alkaline, in contrast to the water in a bog, which is acidic. The environment of a marsh is in general well-oxygenated and nutrient-rich and allows a great variety of organisms to flourish. In contrast to a swamp, in which there is an abundance of woody plants, the plants in a marsh are mostly herbaceous. Reeds and rushes dominate the vegetation of marshes.

2. See also salt marsh

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• marshlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• marshes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of marsh

before 900; Middle English mershe, Old English mer ( i ) sc (cognate with German Marsch ). See mere ², -ish ¹; cf. marais, marish, morass

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Explanation

A marsh is an area in transition from land to water. It is a very bad idea to go walking in a marsh in your best shoes; try some fishing boots, or perhaps a boat. The word marsh comes from the old Dutch word mere, for sea, and it means land that is sea-ish… not sea, but sea-ish, like most of Holland. Marshes can be found often where a river empties into the sea, or along the side of a low, flooded river. Another word for marsh is swamp. If you’re in trouble or just want to be alone, a marsh is a great place to hide: no one will follow you. Just don’t forget your galoshes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

marsh Marsh marshes

This community-led model builds on Citizen Zoo's successful Hop of Hope project which saw volunteers rear large marsh grasshoppers from eggs at home, going on to release the species in wetlands across Norfolk.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

The dinosaur ended up in a salty marsh, where conditions slowed decomposition and helped preserve the fragile network of blood vessels.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

An area of wet woodland and marsh has been acquired alongside pastureland south of the River Sow.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Joel Weintraub, 84, said credit for the discovery of the bird goes to marsh visitor Charles Baker, who spotted it Aug. 13 and posted a photo of the bird on EBird, a free online database.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

We were quiet until a long yip and howl echoed through the marsh.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

Finley Kilgo pauses during a bike ride through the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, at the northern end of the Humboldt Bay Trail.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

“Pension funded status for the S&P 1500 rose 1% percent in September after interest rates climbed to 17-year highs,” said Marsh partner Matt McDaniel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

For several days after the arrest, police were seen searching Mountbatten-Windsor's property at Marsh Farm in Sandringham and at his former home, Royal Lodge, on the Windsor estate.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Marsh Fuels, which supplies heating oil in Berkshire and Hampshire, said its sales were lower than expected as colder weather approaches.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

“I’ll come too,” Von Marsh declared, scrambling up awkwardly before the officer could say no.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

The ancient landscape surrounding the fossil site contained wetlands and marshes that could have provided suitable habitat for an enormous ambush predator.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

A new exhibition has now opened in Porlock museum outlining the 30-year process to create the marshes.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

Today, they’re mostly found roaming marshes of the Central Valley, particularly around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

Dick Dale is a New York landscape painter who boards at the Owen family farm in the salt marshes of northeastern Massachusetts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

In the sports car, as they drove through the salt marshes that led back to the coast, Mrs. Levy, pulling her blowing fur up closer around her neck said, “I’m establishing a foundation.”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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