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

1. a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral