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When the word brackish first appeared in English in the 1500s, it simply meant "salty," as did its Dutch parent brak. (English speakers also adopted the synonymous brack from the same source but it gets very little use.) Then, as now, brackish was used to describe water that was a mixture of saltwater and freshwater, such as one encounters where a river meets the sea. Since that time, however, brackish has developed the additional meanings of "unpalatable" and "repulsive," presumably because of the oozy, mucky, and sometimes stinky (or stinkyish, if you prefer)—not just salty—qualities of coastal estuaries and swamps.
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Examples of brackish in a Sentence
Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2024
The animals are relatively common in Washington and can be found in fresh, brackish, or saltwater habitats, the agency said.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2024
The Florida Health Department offers the following tips to minimize the risk of exposure to vibrio:
Avoid swimming or wading in floodwaters, standing water, seawater, and brackish water, if possible.
—Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 11 Oct. 2024
Zelda’s unburdened from expectation and free to explore — from the brackish waters shared by the Sea and River Zora to the deserts the exclusively-female Gerudo calls home (which Zelda, blessedly, doesn’t need to sneak into, as Link usually must!).
—James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 25 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Brackish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brackish. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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brackish
adjective
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