Definition

Noun: A shallow body of water, such as a pond or lake, that is separated from a larger, adjacent body of water (like a sea or ocean) by a natural barrier. This barrier is typically a narrow strip of land, a sandbar, a reef of sand, or a coral reef.

Usage

The word "lagune" (more commonly spelled lagoon) is used to describe a specific geographical coastal feature. It is a standard noun. * It is often found in contexts discussing geography, ecology, coastal development, or travel. * It describes a calm, often sheltered body of water.

Examples

• The atoll surrounded a beautiful, turquoise lagune.
• They sailed their small boat from the open sea into the calm, protected lagune.
• The coastal lagune is an important habitat for many bird species.
• Pollution from the city threatens the delicate ecosystem of the lagune.

Advanced Usage

• Coastal Lagoon: A lagoon connected to the ocean by one or more restricted inlets.
• Atoll Lagoon: A lagoon located within the ring of a coral atoll.
• The term can be used metaphorically to describe any calm, enclosed, or isolated area.
  • The courtyard was a quiet lagune of peace in the bustling city.

Variants and Related Words

• Lagoon (n): The standard and far more common modern spelling of "lagune."
• Laguna (n): A term used in Spanish and Italian, and sometimes in English, for a lagoon or lake.
• Estuary (n): The tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream. (Different from a lagoon, as it is directly fed by a river.)
• Sound (n): A large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight, and wider than a fjord. (Typically larger and more open than a lagoon.)

Synonyms

• Inlet
• Bayou (especially in the southeastern United States)
• Harbor (specifically a man-made or natural place of shelter for ships)
• Pool (in a broader, non-geographical sense)

Notes on the Word

"Lagune" is an older or less common English spelling of the word lagoon. It is directly borrowed from the French word lagune and the Italian laguna, which originate from the Latin lacuna meaning "pool, pond, hole." In modern English usage, "lagoon" is the predominant and recommended spelling.

Noun

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