marsh

¹

[ mahrsh ]

noun

1. a tract of low wet land, often treeless and periodically inundated, generally characterized by a growth of grasses, sedges, cattails, and rushes.

   Synonyms: wetland, marshland, fen, bog, swamp

Marsh

²

[ mahrsh ]

noun

1. Dame (Edith) Ngai·o [nahy, -oh], 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.
2. Reginald, 1898–1954, U.S. painter and illustrator.

marsh

¹

/ mɑːʃ /

noun

1. low poorly drained land that is sometimes flooded and often lies at the edge of lakes, streams, etc Compare swamp paludal

Marsh

²

/ mɑːʃ /

noun

1. Marsh(Edith) Ngaio18991981FNew ZealandWRITING: crime writer Dame ( Edith ) Ngaio (ˈnaɪəʊ). 1899–1981, New Zealand crime writer, living in Britain (from 1928). Her many detective novels include Final Curtain (1947) and Last Ditch (1977)
2. MarshRodney (William)1947MAustralianSPORT AND GAMES: cricketer Rodney ( William ). born 1947, Australian cricketer: a wicketkeeper, he took 355 dismissals in 96 test matches (1970–84)

marsh

/ märsh /

1. An area of low-lying wetland in which the level of water is generally shallow and often fluctuating. The water may be either standing or slow-moving. The water in a marsh is also more or less neutral or alkaline, in contrast to the water in a bog, which is acidic. The environment of a marsh is in general well-oxygenated and nutrient-rich and allows a great variety of organisms to flourish. In contrast to a swamp, in which there is an abundance of woody plants, the plants in a marsh are mostly herbaceous. Reeds and rushes dominate the vegetation of marshes.
2. See also salt marsh

Derived Forms

• ˈmarshˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• marshlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of marsh¹

before 900; Middle English mershe, Old English mer ( i ) sc (cognate with German Marsch ). See mere ², -ish ¹; marais, marish, morass

Word History and Origins

Origin of marsh¹

Old English merisc; related to German Marsch, Dutch marsk; related to mere ²

Example Sentences

Freshwater wetlands and tidal marshes had the highest tea mass remaining, indicating a greater potential for carbon storage in these ecosystems.

From Science Daily

Again, untreated effluent polluted the rivers and the local marsh rhyne drainage system.

From BBC

She says her favourite places to forage for wild food are along the canals and marshes in east London.

From BBC

He said the improvements partly come through commitments to restore marsh and floodplain habitats, as well as other efforts to support the recovery of fish species.

From Los Angeles Times

With a large area of marshes and rice fields, the Guadalquivir Valley has an eco-system that encourages the propagation of mosquitoes.

From BBC