sandbank

or sand bank

[ sand-bangk ]

noun

1. a large mass of sand, as on a shoal or hillside.

sandbank

/ ˈsændˌbæŋk /

noun

1. a submerged bank of sand in a sea or river, that may be exposed at low tide

Word History and Origins

Origin of sandbank¹

First recorded in 1580–90; sand + bank ¹

Example Sentences

The 1,300-tonne ship set sail from Portsmouth to Bengal and China in 1805 but during a storm it struck a sandbank and floundered about a mile off the shores of Weymouth.

From BBC

According to officials, the boat initially ran aground on a sandbank after setting off from Wimereux near Boulogne before continuing.

From BBC

The ship which grounded on a sandbank near Sheerness, Kent in World War Two is decaying.

From BBC

A stranded ship could remain stuck on a sandbank for several days after getting "caught out" while making a turn.

From BBC

On a recent morning, Salas brushed dirt away from a palm-sized rock grinding tool that he found protruding from a sandbank.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• reef