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waterfront

American  
[waw-ter-fruhnt, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tərˌfrʌnt, ˈwɒt ər- /

noun

  1. land on the edge of a body of water.

  2. a part of a city or town on such land; wharf or dock section.

  3. a container placed before a stove to heat water.

waterfront British  
/ ˈwɔːtəˌfrʌnt /

noun

  1. the area of a town or city alongside a body of water, such as a harbour or dockyard

"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
waterfront Idioms  

  1. see cover the field (waterfront).

Etymology

Origin of waterfront

An Americanism dating back to 1760–70; water + front

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.

Residents will also have access to a suite of community amenities, including a waterfront pool and sun deck, a private clubhouse, a fitness center, and a limited collection of just seven private boat slips.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

On Tuesday, the president’s son Eric posted a first-look video for said library, which will reside on the waterfront in Miami.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

On Monday, his son Eric Trump posted computer-generated images of a future Trump Library on X showing an imposing skyscraper on the Miami waterfront.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

As the company’s Medicaid billings soared, property records show Mitchell purchased a $2.5 million home on Florida’s Sanibel Island and a $600,000 waterfront house on Indiana’s Tippecanoe River.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

In their expeditions, Tally and Peris had always stuck to the waterfront, where vegetation and the dark backdrop of Uglyville made it easy to hide.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

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.