marshy

American  

[mahr-shee] / ˈmɑr ʃi /

adjective

marshier, marshiest

1. like a marsh; soft and wet; boggy.

2. pertaining to a marsh.

3. consisting of or constituting a marsh, bog, swamp, or the like.

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marshy British  

/ ˈmɑːʃɪ /

adjective

1. of, involving, or like a marsh

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Other Word Forms

• marshiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of marshy

First recorded in 1350–1400, marshy is from the Middle English word mershi. See marsh, -y ¹

Explanation

Marshy things are squishy, wet, and soft, like a marsh or a bog. After three days of rain, your backyard just might be too marshy to set up the volleyball net. Any area of ground that's waterlogged is marshy, like the marshy shore of a river or the low-lying marshy patch in the neighborhood dog park. Unless there's a drought, swamps and bogs and wetlands are always marshy, and water-loving plants grow happily in these areas. This adjective comes from marsh, which has a Germanic root, mari, that means "sea."

Example Sentences

Milk parsley, which grows in marshy habitats, was once widespread around Hornsea Mere, but has declined sharply in recent decades.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

After hearing a voice from the sky, Guglielmo settled in Malavalle, meaning "the bad valley," in the marshy Maremma region of Tuscany.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

Not far from the school is a marshy wetland, where ducks, geese and migrating birds come to rest and relax, a smorgasbord for a pair of eagles and their young.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2025

Sambas Regency, the county-sized region in West Kalimantan Province where Perapakan is located, is a major producer, with the birds thriving in its marshy coastal areas, rich with insects.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2024

They found a marshy beach, nestled back against the piney woods.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Related Words

• soggy