noun

estuary

ES-choo-air-ee/ˈestʃueri/

A river mouth where fresh water mixes with seawater.

Fresh water from the river mixes with seawater in the estuary.

An elevated coastal view of a river widening into a sheltered tidal mouth and opening into the sea, with softly intermingling river sediment and blue-green seawater between exposed tidal banks.

Etymology

estuaryLatintidal marsh, channel from the sea

Aestuarium named a tidal marsh or a channel extending inland from the sea. The modern river-mouth sense retains that tidal connection: seawater reaches inland and meets a river’s fresh water.

In context

Amit Sengupta2:32

plus this estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water

How Estuaries are formed | Coastal Estuary (sandbar) | Geography terms

More examples

Many young fish find shelter in the estuary.
The incoming tide carries salt water farther into the estuary.
Pollution from upstream can harm coastal estuaries.

Forms

estuary · estuaries

estuarine adjective — Relating to an estuary or its waters.

Similar words

mouth: Names any river's outlet, without requiring freshwater and seawater mixing.
inlet: Describes a coastal indentation, not necessarily fed by a river.