lagoon
/'lə'gu:n/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A shallow body of water, especially saltwater, that is separated from a larger sea or ocean by a narrow, natural barrier such as a sandbar, coral reef, or barrier island.
Usage
A "lagoon" is a geographical feature. It is used to describe a specific type of coastal water body. It is a common term in geography, environmental science, and travel descriptions. - It is typically a calm, sheltered area of water. - It can be connected to the larger body of water by one or more narrow inlets. - Lagoons can be found along coastlines worldwide.
Examples
- The atoll surrounded a beautiful, turquoise lagoon.
- They sailed their small boat from the ocean into the calm waters of the lagoon.
- The coastal lagoon is an important habitat for many bird species.
- Venice is famously built on islands within a lagoon.
Advanced Usage
- Coastal Lagoon: The most common type, formed along gently sloping coasts by the deposition of sand or sediment.
- Atoll Lagoon: A circular lagoon surrounded by a coral reef, often found in tropical oceans.
- The term can sometimes be used more loosely to describe any small, calm body of water, but its precise meaning refers to a coastal feature.
Variants and Related Words
- Lagooning (gerund/noun): The process of forming or the state of being a lagoon. (Technical term)
- Lagoonal (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of a lagoon.
- The lagoonal ecosystem is very delicate.
Synonyms
- Sound: A broad inlet of the sea or ocean, often larger than a lagoon and parallel to the coastline.
- Bay: A broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inward. (Generally less separated than a lagoon).
- Estuary: The tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream. (Different formation process).
Idioms
There are no common idioms that use the word "lagoon" as a key component.
Related Phrases
There are no common phrasal verbs or set phrases using "lagoon."
Noun
- a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral