brackish

American  

[brak-ish] / ˈbræk ɪʃ /

adjective

1. somewhat salty or briny, as the water in an estuary or salt marsh, which is not as salty as the sea but saltier than a river.

   These brackish swamps are some of the state’s most important ecosystems.

2. distasteful; unpleasant.

   The coffee was brackish and stale.

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brackish British  

/ ˈbrækɪʃ /

adjective

1. (of water) slightly briny or salty

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brackish Scientific  

/ brăk′ĭsh /

1. Containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water. Brackish water is somewhat salty.

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Other Word Forms

• brackishness noun

Etymology

Origin of brackish

First recorded in 1550–60; from Dutch brak “salty” + -ish ¹ (in the sense “somewhat”)