es ‧ tu ‧ a ‧ ry /ˈestʃuəri, -tʃəri $ -tʃueri/ BrE AmE noun ( plural estuaries ) [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: aestuarium , from aestus 'boiling, tide' ]
the wide part of a river where it goes into the sea ⇨ source :
the Thames estuary
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ river a line of water that flows into the sea:
They crossed the river by ferry.
|
the River Tweed
|
the Yangtze river
▪ tributary a stream or river that flows into a larger river:
The River Trombetas is a tributary of the River Amazon.
▪ estuary the wide part of a river where it goes into the sea:
plans to build a big new airport on the Thames estuary
▪ canal a long passage dug into the ground and filled with water, either for boats to travel along, or to take water to a place:
Venice’s famous canals
|
a canal boat
▪ delta an area of low land where a river spreads into many smaller rivers near the sea:
the Nile delta