aqua
1 Americannoun
adjective
Usage
What does aqua- mean? Aqua- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “water.” It is occasionally used in a variety of scientific and technical terms. Aquia comes from Latin aqua, meaning “water.” The Greek translation is hýdōr, meaning “water,” which is the source of such combining forms as hydro-. What are variants of aqua-?In some terms, aqua- becomes aqui-, as in aquifer, from French aquifère. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on aqui-.
Etymology
Origin of aqua1
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin: water
Origin of aqua-2
Probably originally attributive use of aqua, or generalized from words in which it is etymologically the head noun of a phrase, as aquamarine, aquatint
Explanation
Aqua is a greenish-blue color, often thought of as the shade of water. When you buy a new blender, you might decide that the aqua one will brighten up your kitchen. Aqua is pretty close to the color known as cyan, almost exactly halfway between green and blue on the color spectrum. You can buy aqua clothing or aqua paint if you love the color and want your dining room to feel cool and colorful. The word aqua is sometimes also used to mean "water," and in fact the Latin root means "water, the sea, or rain."
Vocabulary lists containing aqua
Blue
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Elements of the Universe: Aqua ("Water")
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Scrabble: Four-Letter Words with 3 Vowels
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Eateries in Italy, Denmark and the U.K. offer their own aqua explorations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025
First Anthony began to layer vanilla scents on to his preferred smoky, aqua, woody fragrances.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025
He said aqua parks needed to be more tightly governed, adding he and Ms Parker wanted to protect other parents from the "torment" of losing a child.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2025
Featuring bucket hats, bags, shorts, tops, coverups and more, the collection takes inspiration from the land and the ocean, featuring pieces in “mineral colors,” like aqua, and coral prints.
From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2024
The earth floats in space; one quarter of the sphere is habitable, but half of it is covered by water, and the remaining quarter represents terra or aqua incognita.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
