marine
muh-REEN
Marine (adj) means relating to the sea, ships, or naval matters. Example: “Marine biologists study life in the ocean.”
adj
1
Relating to the sea, ships, or naval matters.
"Marine biologists study life in the ocean."
"The company insures marine cargo shipped across the Atlantic."
"The aquarium has a large tank full of marine plants and fish."
noun
1
A soldier trained to fight both at sea and on land as part of a marine corps.
"Her brother served as a marine for six years."
"The marines were the first to land on the beach."
"The marine climbed aboard the ship with the rest of his unit."
How to use marine
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo do with the sea, or (capitalized, as a noun) a member of a marine corps.
Common mistake
"Marine" describes things living in or belonging to the sea itself; "maritime" is broader, covering anything connected to sea trade, travel, or coastal life.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
marine life
marine biology
a US Marine
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Word forms
- Plural
- marines
- Third person singular
- marines
- Past tense
- marined
- Comparative
- more marine
- Superlative
- most marine
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ biologists study life in the ocean.
Etymology
From Latin marinus ("of the sea"), from mare ("sea") — the same root behind "maritime" and "submarine."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for marine
See all rhymes for marine →Frequently asked questions
What does “marine” mean?
The word “marine” means relating to the sea, ships, or naval matters. In plain terms, to do with the sea, or (capitalized, as a noun) a member of a marine corps.
How do you pronounce “marine”?
“Marine” is pronounced muh-REEN (/məˈɹiːn/ in IPA).
How do you use “marine” in a sentence?
Here is “marine” used in a sentence: “Marine biologists study life in the ocean.”
What is another word for “marine”?
Words with a similar meaning to “marine” include devil dog, jarhead and leatherneck.
What part of speech is “marine”?
Depending on how it is used, “marine” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “marine” come from?
The word “marine” comes from Latin. From Latin marinus ("of the sea"), from mare ("sea") — the same root behind "maritime" and "submarine.".
Is “marine” a common word?
“Marine” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “marine” have?
“Marine” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the sea, ships, or naval matters.
What is the difference between marine and maritime?
Both relate to the sea, but they emphasize different things. Marine usually describes the sea itself and the life within it, as in marine biology or marine mammals. Maritime leans toward human activity connected to the sea — shipping, trade, navigation and law, as in maritime law or a maritime nation. The overlap is why they are confused.
What is an example of marine used in a sentence?
You might say, "The reserve protects a fragile marine ecosystem," or "She joined the marine insurance division." The word points to anything connected with the sea, ships or naval affairs, so it appears in fields from marine biology and marine engineering to the marine forecast read out on the radio.
Does marine always refer to the ocean?
Not strictly. Marine centres on the sea and saltwater environments, but it stretches to ships, shipping and naval matters too — a marine engine or the marines as a military force. It generally implies saltwater rather than rivers or lakes, which are described as freshwater or, more technically, aquatic.
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