What does estuary mean?
Definitions for estuary
ˈɛs tʃuˌɛr ies·tu·a·ry
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word estuary.
Princeton's WordNet
estuarynoun
the wide part of a river where it nears the sea; fresh and salt water mix
Wiktionary
estuarynoun
Coastal water body where ocean tides and river water merge.
estuarynoun
An ocean inlet also fed by fresh river water.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Estuarynoun
An arm of the sea; the mouth of a lake or river in which the tide reciprocates; a frith.
Etymology: æstuarium, Latin.
Wikipedia
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.
ChatGPT
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 Dictionary
Estuarynoun
a place where water boils up; a spring that wells forth
Estuarynoun
a passage, as the mouth of a river or lake, where the tide meets the current; an arm of the sea; a frith
Estuaryadjective
belonging to, or formed in, an estuary; as, estuary strata
Etymology: [L. aestuarium, from aestuare to surge. See Estuate.]
Wikidata
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 Dictionary
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 Terms
estuary
An inlet or shoaly arm of the sea into which a river or rivers empty, and subject to tidal influence.
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of estuary in Chaldean Numerology is: 4
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of estuary in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1
Examples of estuary in a Sentence
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.
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References
Translations for estuary
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- естуарBulgarian
- ústíCzech
- aberWelsh
- flodmundingDanish
- MeeresarmGerman
- estuarioSpanish
- ósi, áarósiFaroese
- estuaireFrench
- मुहानाHindi
- tölcsértorkolatHungarian
- muaraIndonesian
- árós, ármynniIcelandic
- estuarioItalian
- 河口Japanese
- grīvaLatvian
- pūwaha, pūaha, pūahatanga, wahapūMāori
- muaraMalay
- estuariumDutch
- ujściePolish
- estuárioPortuguese
- эстуарий, устьеRussian
- ústieSlovak
- flodmynningSwedish
- ปากน้ำThai
- wawaTagalog
- 河口Chinese
Get even more translations for estuary »
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"estuary." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 8 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/estuary>.
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