neritic

[nuh-rit-ik]

adjective

of or relating to the region of water lying directly above the sublittoral zone of the sea bottom.

Compare oceanic, pelagic.

Origin of neritic

< German neritisch (1890), apparently after Greek Nērēís Nereid or Nēreús Nereus, though derivation is unclear; see -ic

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British Dictionary definitions for neritic

neritic

adjective

of or formed in the region of shallow seas near a coastline

Word Origin for neritic

C20: perhaps from Latin nērīta sea mussel, from Greek nērítēs, from Nereus

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for neritic

adj.

1891, from German neritisch (Haeckel, 1890), perhaps from Nerita, a genus of molluscs.

neritic in Science

neritic

[nə-rĭt′ĭk]

Relating to the ocean waters over the sublittoral region of the ocean floor, ranging in depth between the low tide mark to about 200 m (656 ft). See more at epipelagic zone.