estuary









estuary


estuary [es-choo-er-ee] ExamplesWord Origin noun, plural es·tu·ar·ies.

  1. that part of the mouth or lower course of a river in which the river’s current meets the sea’s tide.
  2. an arm or inlet of the sea at the lower end of a river.

Origin of estuary 1530–40; Latin aestuārium channel, creek, inlet, equivalent to aestu(s) tide + -ārium -ary Related formses·tu·ar·i·al [es-choo-air-ee-uh l] /ˌɛs tʃuˈɛər i əl/, adjectiveCan be confuseddelta estuary Examples from the Web for estuarial Historical Examples of estuarial

  • The bulk of estuarial silt comes down the main river from the upper Basin.

    The Nation’s River

    United States Department of the Interior

  • British Dictionary definitions for estuarial estuary noun plural -aries

    1. the widening channel of a river where it nears the sea, with a mixing of fresh water and salt (tidal) water
    2. an inlet of the sea

    Derived Formsestuarial (ˌɛstjʊˈɛərɪəl), adjectiveWord Origin for estuary C16: from Latin aestuārium marsh, channel, from aestus tide, billowing movement, related to aestās summer Word Origin and History for estuarial estuary n.

    1530s, from Latin aestuarium “a tidal marsh or opening,” from aestus “boiling (of the sea), tide, heat,” from PIE *aidh- “to burn” (see edifice). Related: Estuaries; estuarine.

    estuarial in Science estuary [ĕs′chōō-ĕr′ē]

    1. The wide lower course of a river where it flows into the sea. Estuaries experience tidal flows and their water is a changing mixture of fresh and salt.
    2. An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.

    estuarial in Culture estuary [(es-chooh-er-ee)]

    A wide body of water formed where a large river meets the sea. It contains both fresh and salt water.

    54 queries 0.559