adj
Common
maritime
MA-rih-tym
Maritime (adj) means relating to the sea, shipping, or a nation's activity at sea. Example: “The museum has a fine collection of maritime paintings of ships in storms.”
adj
1
Relating to the sea, shipping, or a nation's activity at sea.
"The museum has a fine collection of maritime paintings of ships in storms."
"The country has a long maritime tradition of fishing and trade."
"Maritime law governs disputes that happen on international waters."
2
Located near or bordering the sea.
"We spent the summer in a quiet maritime town with a busy harbour."
"Maritime regions often have milder winters than places far inland."
"The maritime provinces of Canada include Nova Scotia and New Brunswick."
How to use maritime
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishConnected with the sea, ships, or seaside regions — broader than "marine," which usually describes things actually living or existing in the sea.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
maritime law
maritime history
a maritime nation
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like maritime.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more maritime
- Superlative
- most maritime
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The museum has a fine collection of _____ paintings of ships in storms.
Etymology
From Latin maritimus, from mare ("sea"), by way of Middle French maritime.
Related words
Rhymes for maritime
See all rhymes for maritime →Frequently asked questions
What does “maritime” mean?
The word “maritime” means relating to the sea, shipping, or a nation's activity at sea. In plain terms, connected with the sea, ships, or seaside regions — broader than "marine," which usually describes things actually living or existing in the sea.
How do you pronounce “maritime”?
“Maritime” is pronounced MA-rih-tym (/ˈmæ.ɹɪˌtaɪm/ in IPA).
How do you use “maritime” in a sentence?
Here is “maritime” used in a sentence: “The country has a long maritime tradition of fishing and trade.”
What part of speech is “maritime”?
“Maritime” is an adjective.
Where does the word “maritime” come from?
The word “maritime” comes from Latin. From Latin maritimus, from mare ("sea"), by way of Middle French maritime.
Is “maritime” a common word?
“Maritime” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “maritime” have?
“Maritime” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the sea, shipping, or a nation's activity at sea.
What is the difference between "maritime" and "marine"?
Both relate to the sea, but they are used differently. "Maritime" usually describes activity connected with the sea, especially shipping, trade, and law, as in maritime law or a maritime nation. "Marine" more often describes things living in or produced by the sea, such as marine life or marine biology.
What is the difference between "maritime" and "naval"?
"Maritime" is a broad term covering everything relating to the sea, shipping, and seaborne trade, including commercial and civilian activity. "Naval" specifically refers to a country's navy and military forces at sea, so a naval battle involves warships while maritime trade involves merchant vessels.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include maritime:
