wetland

[ wet-land ]

noun

1. Often wetlands. land that has a wet and spongy soil, as a marsh, swamp, or bog.

wetland

/ ˈwɛtlənd /

noun

1. sometimes plural
   1. an area of swampy or marshy land, esp considered as part of an ecological system
   2. ( as modifier )

      wetland species

wetland

/ wĕt′lănd′ /

1. A low-lying area of land that is saturated with moisture, especially when regarded as the natural habitat of wildlife. Marshes, swamps, and bogs are examples of wetlands.
2. See more at lacustrine

Word History and Origins

Origin of wetland¹

First recorded in 1770–80; wet + -land

A Closer Look

Wetlands are areas such as swamps, bogs, and marshes where water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface, particularly in the root zone, at least a good portion of the year, including the growing season. In the past, wetlands were generally considered unproductive or undesirable lands—smelly and unhealthful, a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests—and many were filled in to create farmland or to develop land for housing and industrial use. More than half of the original wetlands in the continental United States have disappeared in the name of reclamation, disease prevention, and flood control. Scientists now realize that, far from being noxious barrens, wetlands play a key role in the ecosystem. They act as filters, removing pollutants, including metals, from waters. They serve as reservoirs, and they aid flood and erosion control by absorbing excess water. Wetlands are home to a great variety of plant and animal species, some endangered, that have evolved to live in the wetland's unique conditions. The preservation and, where possible, restoration of these vital habitats has become a primary goal of environmentalists around the world.

Example Sentences

The Crooked Tree Village Council welcomed the research team and permitted them to map and excavate in the wetlands around their community.

From Science Daily

Peatlands are wetlands characterised by waterlogged conditions and are known carbon stores.

From BBC

You’ll see egrets and herons in the tidal wetlands of the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge and perhaps even snowy plovers nestling in the dunes or pecking for insects in the wet sand.

From Los Angeles Times

Dry weather has fuelled wildfires across the country devastating large parts of the Amazon rainforest and Pantanal wetlands as well as choking major cities with smoke.

From BBC

The bench sits next to wetlands in the riparian forest, where cottonwoods and willows tower over sage bushes and wild roses.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bog
• glade