marais
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˌmɛˈɹeɪ// marais
n. a low, wet area of land that is often covered with water or mud. It is a French word for a swamp or marsh.
n. a low-lying, wet area of land, typically characterized by marshy or swampy conditions. Borrowed from French, it is often used in English to describe specific geographical features or historical sites.
The old city was built on a dry part of the marais.
The developers had to drain the marais before they could build the new housing complex on the wetland.
Historically, the marais was considered a dangerous and unhealthy place to live due to the prevalence of mosquitoes and stagnant water, though it is now a popular urban park.