cotidal

[ koh-tahyd-l ]

adjective

1. pertaining to a coincidence of tides.
2. (on a chart or map) indicating a line connecting points at which high tide occurs at the same time.

cotidal

/ kəʊˈtaɪdəl /

adjective

1. (of a line on a tidal chart) joining points at which high tide occurs simultaneously

cotidal

/ kō-tīd′l /

1. Indicating coincidence of high tides or low tides.
2. Relating to a line that passes through each location on a coastal map where tides occur at the same time of day. Cotidal maps show variation in the height of the tides and indicate the time of high tide occurrence. Cotidal charts can be made using tide gauge data from gauges at regular intervals along the coast; however, computer modeling is increasingly used, especially where the tides vary greatly over a short distance.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cotidal¹

First recorded in 1825–35; co- + tidal

Example Sentences

In the 19th century, William Whewell mobilized the global British empire to gather data for the first "cotidal" charts, only to find that local phenomena often trumped global tidal predictions where and when the British Navy needed them most.

From New York Times

Adj. oceanic; marine, maritime; pelagic, pelagian; seagoing; hydrographic; bathybic†, cotidal†.

From Project Gutenberg