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noun

mangrove

MANGG-rohv

Mangrove (noun) means a tropical tree or shrub that grows in salty coastal shallows, supported by tangled above-ground roots. Example: “Mangrove roots help protect the coastline from erosion.”

noun
1
A tropical tree or shrub that grows in salty coastal shallows, supported by tangled above-ground roots.
"Mangrove roots help protect the coastline from erosion."
"The boat drifted slowly through a channel lined with mangroves."
2
A forest made up of such trees.
"They kayaked through the mangrove for hours, spotting herons along the way."

How to use mangrove

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA salt-tolerant coastal tree with roots that stand above the waterline, or the swampy forest it forms.

Common pairings
mangrove forest mangrove swamp mangrove roots

Word forms

mangroves plural

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_____ roots help protect the coastline from erosion.

Etymology

Reshaped from an earlier form "mangrowe" under the influence of the unrelated word "grove." The original word likely came from Spanish mangle, borrowed from a Caribbean language.

Origin: Spanish

Rhymes for mangrove

See all rhymes for mangrove →

Frequently asked questions

What does “mangrove” mean?

The word “mangrove” means a tropical tree or shrub that grows in salty coastal shallows, supported by tangled above-ground roots. In plain terms, a salt-tolerant coastal tree with roots that stand above the waterline, or the swampy forest it forms.

How do you pronounce “mangrove”?

“Mangrove” is pronounced MANGG-rohv (/ˈmæŋɡɹoʊ̯v/ in IPA).

How do you use “mangrove” in a sentence?

Here is “mangrove” used in a sentence: “Mangrove roots help protect the coastline from erosion.”

What part of speech is “mangrove”?

“Mangrove” is a noun.

Where does the word “mangrove” come from?

The word “mangrove” comes from Spanish. Reshaped from an earlier form "mangrowe" under the influence of the unrelated word "grove." The original word likely came from Spanish mangle, borrowed from a Caribbean language.

How many meanings does “mangrove” have?

“Mangrove” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a tropical tree or shrub that grows in salty coastal shallows, supported by tangled above-ground roots.

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