noun · neutral
estuary
UK/ˈɛstjʊəri/US/ˈɛstʊˌɛri/ES·tu·ary
Band 7+task2speaking
the wide part of a river where it flows into the sea, often a mix of fresh and salt water and biologically rich
Examples
“The estuary supports many migratory birds every winter.”
“Industrial discharge upstream has polluted the estuary.”
“Estuaries act as nurseries for many fish species.”
Band 8 sentence
“The conservation plan prioritised estuaries because they serve as critical nurseries for commercial fish species.”
Collocations
- estuarine habitat
- mouth of the estuary
Word family
estuaries noun (plural)estuarine adj
Common mistakes
a estuary→an estuary
estuary is salty→an estuary is brackish
Say it for a higher band
5river mouth→6brackish water area→7+estuary
Synonyms
river mouth
Easily confused
delta
“The Nile Delta is a fertile area where the river spreads into the Mediterranean.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Nature & Animals
Learn it with its set