noun
1. : any of the waters (as lakes, canals, rivers, watercourses, inlets, and bays) within the territory of a state as contrasted with the open seas or marginal waters bordering another state subject to various sovereign rights of the bordering state — usually used in plural
2. : water of the interior that does not border upon marginal or high seas or is above the rise and fall of the tides — usually used in plural; compare marginal sea , territorial sea , territorial water