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estuary

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es·tu·ar·y

   [es-choo-er-ee]
–noun,plural-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.
Use estuary in a Sentence
Origin:
1530–40; < L aestuārium channel, creek, inlet, equiv. to aestu(s) tide + -ārium -ary

—Related forms
es·tu·ar·i·al  [es-choo-air-ee-uhl] , adjective

—Can be confused: delta, estuary.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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Word Origin & History

estuary
1530s, from L. aestuarium "a tidal marsh or opening," from aestus "boiling (of the sea), tide, heat." Related: Estuaries; estuarine.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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es·tu·ar·y   (ěs'chōō-ěr'ē)   
n.   pl. es·tu·ar·ies

  1. The part of the wide lower course of a river where its current is met by the tides.

  2. An arm of the sea that extends inland to meet the mouth of a river.


[Latin aestuārium, from aestus, tide, surge, heat.]
es'tu·ar'i·al (-âr'ē-əl) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Science Dictionary
estuary   (ěs'ch-ěr'ē)  Pronunciation Key 

  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.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

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.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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