Definitions for estuary
ˈɛs tʃuˌɛr ies·tu·a·ry

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:2.7 / 3 votes

1. estuarynoun

   the wide part of a river where it nears the sea; fresh and salt water mix

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. estuarynoun

   Coastal water body where ocean tides and river water merge.

2. estuarynoun

   An ocean inlet also fed by fresh river water.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Estuarynoun

   An arm of the sea; the mouth of a lake or river in which the tide reciprocates; a frith.

   Etymology: æstuarium, Latin.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Estuary

   An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an example of an ecotone. Estuaries are subject both to marine influences such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water, and to fluvial influences such as flows of freshwater and sediment. The mixing of seawater and freshwater provides high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world.Most existing estuaries formed during the Holocene epoch with the flooding of river-eroded or glacially scoured valleys when the sea level began to rise about 10,000–12,000 years ago. Estuaries are typically classified according to their geomorphological features or to water-circulation patterns. They can have many different names, such as bays, harbors, lagoons, inlets, or sounds, although some of these water bodies do not strictly meet the above definition of an estuary and could be fully saline. Many estuaries suffer degeneration from a variety of factors including soil erosion, deforestation, overgrazing, overfishing and the filling of wetlands. Eutrophication may lead to excessive nutrients from sewage and animal wastes; pollutants including heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, radionuclides and hydrocarbons from sewage inputs; and diking or damming for flood control or water diversion.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. estuary

   An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of water where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with saltwater from the sea. This ecosystem is subject to both marine influences, such as tides and waves, and riverine influences, such as floods and the influx of sediments and freshwater. Estuaries are often biologically rich environments due to the mixture of nutrients from both the land and ocean.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Estuarynoun

   a place where water boils up; a spring that wells forth

2. Estuarynoun

   a passage, as the mouth of a river or lake, where the tide meets the current; an arm of the sea; a frith

3. Estuaryadjective

   belonging to, or formed in, an estuary; as, estuary strata

4. Etymology: [L. aestuarium, from aestuare to surge. See Estuate.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Estuary

   An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are subject to both marine influences, such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water; and riverine influences, such as flows of fresh water and sediment. The inflows of both sea water and fresh water provide high levels of nutrients in both the water column and sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world. Most existing estuaries were formed during the Holocene epoch by the flooding of river-eroded or glacially scoured valleys when the sea level began to rise about 10,000-12,000 years ago. Estuaries are typically classified by their geomorphological features or by water circulation patterns and can be referred to by many different names, such as bays, harbors, lagoons, inlets, or sounds, although some of these water bodies do not strictly meet the above definition of an estuary and may be fully saline. The banks of many estuaries are amongst the most heavily populated areas of the world, with about 60% of the world's population living along estuaries and the coast. As a result, many estuaries are suffering degradation by many factors, including sedimentation from soil erosion from deforestation, overgrazing, and other poor farming practices; overfishing; drainage and filling of wetlands; eutrophication due to excessive nutrients from sewage and animal wastes; pollutants including heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls, radionuclides and hydrocarbons from sewage inputs; and diking or damming for flood control or water diversion.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Estuary

   es′tū-ar-i, n. the wide lower part of a river where it becomes tidal.—adjs. Estuā′rian, Es′tūarine. [L. æstuarium—æstus, tide.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. estuary

   An inlet or shoaly arm of the sea into which a river or rivers empty, and subject to tidal influence.

Matched Categories

1. • Body Of Water
   • River

How to pronounce estuary?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say estuary in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of estuary in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of estuary in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of estuary in a Sentence

1. Andrew Chin:

   The Swan River estuary is good bull shark habitat and this means people can come into close contact with them, unfortunately some encounters end badly and in this case with tragic results.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=estuary
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Estuary
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=estuary
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuary
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estuary
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=estuary
8. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=estuary
9. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=estuary