noun
cove
kohv
noun
1
A small, sheltered inlet along a coastline, often bordered by cliffs or rocks.
"We anchored the boat in a quiet cove for the night."
"The hidden cove was accessible only by boat."
How to Use Cove
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small, protected bay or inlet along a shoreline.
Common mistake
Despite sounding alike, "cove" is not historically related to "cave" — it's just a coincidental resemblance.
Common pairings
a sheltered cove
sandy cove
hidden cove
Word Forms
coved past tense, coved past tense, coves plural, coves plural, coves singular, coves singular
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We anchored the boat in a quiet _____ for the night.
Etymology
From Old English cofa, meaning "chamber" or "den" — the sense narrowed over time to describe a small sheltered inlet or hollow.