supralittoral

[ soo-pruh-lit-er-uhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the biogeographic region of a shore of a lake, sea, or ocean permanently above water but made damp by spray from waves or by capillarity of the substrate.

noun

1. a supralittoral zone or region.

Word History and Origins

Origin of supralittoral¹

First recorded in 1905–10; supra- + littoral

Example Sentences

The supralittoral zone, which is submerged at high tide but exposed at low tide, closely resembled the prenuclear assemblages.

From Science Magazine