adj
brackish
Brackish (adj) means Describes water that is a little salty, from a mix of fresh and sea water, as in an estuary.
adj
1
Describes water that is a little salty, from a mix of fresh and sea water, as in an estuary.
"White Slough is a large tidal wetland full of brackish water from the Napa River that flows into the city of Vallejo from under Highway 37."
— Ryan Geller, A homeless Vallejo resident owns the city’s largest encampment. Now he’s pressured to evict his neighbors (2026)
2
(informal) Unpleasant to taste or otherwise disagreeable.
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Etymology
Formed from Scottish brack, itself from Middle Dutch brac (“brackish”), plus -ish. It is cognate with Dutch brak (“brackish”), German Low German brack, brakerg, brakig (“brackish”), German brackig (“brackish”), Danish brak (“brackish”), Swedish bräck (“brackish”) and Norwegian brakk (“brackish”). It may be a distant doublet of brook.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of brackish?
"brackish" (adj) means describes water that is a little salty, from a mix of fresh and sea water, as in an estuary.
What is another word for brackish?
Other words for "brackish" include briny.
What is the opposite of brackish?
Opposites of "brackish" include fresh, palatable.
What are the different meanings of brackish?
"brackish" has 2 main meanings: 1. Describes water that is a little salty, from a mix of fresh and sea water, as in an estuary; 2. (informal) Unpleasant to taste or otherwise disagreeable.
