territorial waters

[ ter-i-tawr-ee-uhl waw-terz, wot-erz ]
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plural nounInternational Law.
  1. the waters of a coastal state or nation that are regarded as under the jurisdiction of the state or nation, traditionally within 3 miles (4.8 km) of the shore, but with claims by certain coastal nations that have extended to 12 or even 200 miles (20 or 322 km).: Compare high sea (def. 1), marginal sea (def. 2).

Origin of territorial waters

1
First recorded in 1870–75

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How to use territorial waters in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for territorial waters

territorial waters

pl n
  1. the waters over which a nation exercises jurisdiction and control

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