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Synonyms

saltwater

American  
[sawlt-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈsɔltˈwɔ tər, -ˈwɒt ər /

adjective

  1. of or relating to salt water.

  2. inhabiting salt water.

    a saltwater fish.
saltwater British  
/ ˈsɔːltˌwɔːtə /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or inhabiting salt water, esp the sea

    saltwater fishes
"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
saltwater Scientific  
/ sôlt′wô′tər /

  1. Consisting of or living in salty water, especially seawater.

Etymology

Origin of saltwater

First recorded in 1520–30; salt 1 + water

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.

According to lead author Michael Zhdanov, the study marks the first time AEM technology has successfully detected freshwater beneath the thin layer of conductive saltwater at the surface of the Great Salt Lake.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

Out back, there’s a saltwater pool, spa, basketball court, bocce court, putting green, and driving range.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

A project to restore vast meadows of a saltwater plant to the Humber Estuary has reached a major milestone, experts say.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

In May, a well on the Pecos County property of Laura Briggs started spraying saltwater like a fire hydrant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

“Only the saltwater where we started the Games,” I say.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

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.