seaway

American  

[see-wey] / ˈsiˌweɪ /

noun

1. a way over the sea.

2. the open sea.

3. the progress of a ship through the waves.

4. a more or less rough sea.

   a hard vessel to steer in a seaway.

5. a canal, enlarged river, etc., giving access to a landlocked port by oceangoing vessels.

---

seaway British  

/ ˈsiːˌweɪ /

noun

1. a waterway giving access to an inland port, navigable by ocean-going ships

2. a vessel's progress

3. a rough or heavy sea

4. a route across the sea

---

Etymology

Origin of seaway

before 1000; Middle English seewey, Old English sǣweg. See sea, way ¹

Example Sentences

"So we were on the beach here. This area was part of that seaway, and streams and rivers that drained into that beach would be great habitat for these kinds of organisms," Adams said.

From Science Daily

As freshwater input grew, the seaway gradually changed from salty to brackish and eventually to mostly freshwater, similar to conditions seen today in the Gulf of Bothnia.

From Science Daily

Mumbai has been given a makeover: Suspension bridges span its seaways, as well as its infamous slums, and new metro lines have been carved beneath its Art Deco and Indo-Saracenic facades and rumbling commuter railways.

From New York Times

A vast seaway with swift currents separated North and South America, and most animals were unable to cross -- with a few notable exceptions.

From Science Daily

They're also the oldest bat fossils from Central America, preserved 20-million years ago when Panama and the rest of North America were separated from southern landmass by a seaway at least 120 miles wide.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• sea
• tide