English Reference

Word

lagoon

Phoneticsla·goon

US/ɫəˈɡun/

UK/lɐɡˈuːn/

Definition

n. a pool of salt water that is separated from the ocean by a sandbank or a coral reef.

n. a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by barrier islands or reefs.

Examples

“The water in the lagoon is very clear and calm.”

“Tourists often take small boats out to the lagoon to see the colorful fish living in the shallow water.”

“The resort was built around a natural lagoon, providing guests with a sheltered swimming area protected from the heavy surf of the open ocean.”

Examples

simple

“The water in the lagoon is very clear and calm.”

contextual

“Tourists often take small boats out to the lagoon to see the colorful fish living in the shallow water.”

complex

“The resort was built around a natural lagoon, providing guests with a sheltered swimming area protected from the heavy surf of the open ocean.”

Usage

Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific geographical feature.

Real-World Examples

“Photograph: Zero Miglia On a lagoon west of Trieste, Grado is a historic fishing port with miles of south-facing beach.”
The Guardian · 29 Nov 2017

Etymology

Borrowed from French lagune, from Italian laguna, from Latin lacuna. Related to Old English lagu via Proto-Indo-European. Doublet of lacuna and lacune.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/lagoon

English Reference