noun
Common
marsh
mahsh
Marsh (noun) means a low-lying area of wet, spongy ground, usually covered in grasses and reeds rather than trees. Example: “We walked along a wooden path across the marsh to watch the birds.”
noun
1
A low-lying area of wet, spongy ground, usually covered in grasses and reeds rather than trees.
"We walked along a wooden path across the marsh to watch the birds."
"Herons stalked frogs at the edge of the marsh."
"The road flooded every spring because it cut straight through a marsh."
How to use marsh
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSoggy, grassy ground that sits between dry land and open water.
Common mistake
A marsh has grasses and reeds rather than trees; a swamp is the wooded, wetter equivalent.
Common pairings
salt marsh
marsh grass
marsh bird
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like marsh.
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
- Plural
- marshes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We walked along a wooden path across the _____ to watch the birds.
Etymology
From Old English mersc, related to "mere" (a lake or body of water) — a marsh is essentially land that never fully dries out.
Related words
Rhymes for marsh
See all rhymes for marsh →Frequently asked questions
What does “marsh” mean?
The word “marsh” means a low-lying area of wet, spongy ground, usually covered in grasses and reeds rather than trees. In plain terms, soggy, grassy ground that sits between dry land and open water.
How do you pronounce “marsh”?
“Marsh” is pronounced mahsh (/mɑɹʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “marsh” in a sentence?
Here is “marsh” used in a sentence: “Herons stalked frogs at the edge of the marsh.”
What part of speech is “marsh”?
“Marsh” is a noun.
Where does the word “marsh” come from?
The word “marsh” comes from Old English. From Old English mersc, related to "mere" (a lake or body of water) — a marsh is essentially land that never fully dries out.
Is “marsh” a common word?
“Marsh” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between a marsh and a swamp?
Both are wetlands, but a marsh is dominated by grasses, reeds, and other soft-stemmed plants, while a swamp is characterized by trees and woody shrubs. In short, marshes are grassy and open, whereas swamps are wooded.
What is the difference between a marsh and a bog?
A marsh is fed by surface or ground water and supports grasses and reeds on wet, spongy ground, whereas a bog accumulates peat and is typically acidic and low in nutrients, often supporting mosses. Marshes are grassy and mineral-rich; bogs are peaty and acidic.
What is the difference between a marsh and a fen?
Both are grassy wetlands, but a fen is fed mainly by mineral-rich ground water and is less acidic, while marsh is the broader term for low-lying, wet, grassy ground. Fens and marshes can look alike, but a fen has a specific water source and chemistry.
What is the difference between a marsh and a wetland?
Wetland is the general category for any land saturated with water, including marshes, swamps, bogs, and fens. A marsh is one specific type of wetland: low-lying, wet ground covered in grasses and reeds rather than trees.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include marsh:
