shoreline
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of shoreline
Explanation
The shoreline is the place where a large body of water, like an ocean, lake, or river, meets the land. There are a lot of fun beaches along the Atlantic shoreline. You can use the noun shoreline to talk about the strip that marks the boundary between land and water, whether it's at the edge of an ocean, sea, lake, or river. While the word "coast" refers specifically to the ocean, shoreline or shore can be used for any body of water. The word was first coined in the mid-1800's by geographers, and its root is the Germanic schor, "shore, coast, or headland."
Vocabulary lists containing shoreline
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.
Built around Como Lake, the park features a walking path that loops the entire shoreline, along with plenty of benches for soaking up the scenery.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
At stake is what right people in Wisconsin have to take a shoreline stroll.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
On Mother’s Day, the San Francisco Bay shoreline could experience highs in the 70s to mid-80s, with Silicon Valley and the inland East Bay valleys reaching the lower 90s.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026
On most days, the shoreline is busy with activity.
From BBC • May 2, 2026
If they followed the shoreline, they would travel many miles more than they had to, winding in and out along the points of land.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
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.
