lagoon

American  

[luh-goon] / ləˈgun /

noun

1. an area of shallow water separated from the sea by low sandy dunes.

2. Also lagune any small, pondlike body of water, especially one connected with a larger body of water.

3. an artificial pool for storage and treatment of polluted or excessively hot sewage, industrial waste, etc.

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lagoon British  

/ ləˈɡuːn /

noun

1. a body of water cut off from the open sea by coral reefs or sand bars

2. any small body of water, esp one adjoining a larger one

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lagoon Scientific  

/ lə-go̅o̅n′ /

1. A shallow body of salt water close to the sea but separated from it by a narrow strip of land, such as a barrier island, or by a coral reef.

2. A shallow pond or lake close to a larger lake or river but separated from it by a barrier such as a levee.

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Other Word Forms

• lagoonal adjective

Etymology

Origin of lagoon

1605–15; earlier laguna (singular), lagune (plural) < Italian < Latin lacūna (singular), lacūnae (plural) “ditch, pool,” akin to lacus basin, lake ¹; lacuna

Explanation

If you are snorkeling off the coast of Florida in water cut off from the main ocean, you are likely in a lagoon — a body of water separated from the main ocean. If you’re familiar with the 60s TV show “Gilligan’s Island,” you probably already know what a lagoon is. Much of the show’s action took place at the lagoon, where the lovable castaways spent their time hanging around and planning how to be rescued. A lagoon is a good place for castaways to congregate because it’s shallow and separated from the ocean by a natural barrier, which means it’s protected from the rough waters of the ocean and offers easier access for swimming and fishing. If you’re ever stranded on a deserted island, you too would probably choose to spend your time at the lagoon, staring into the distance and watching for approaching ships.

Example Sentences

After a false start at a resort off Trieste, he arrives in Venice and rides across the lagoon to nearby Lido.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Excavators were at work along the shoreline - houses built on wooden stilts over the lagoon were still being pulled down, their planks collapsing into the water below.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

These tracks were formed on the muddy edge of a lagoon around 170 million years ago and have puzzled scientists for decades.

From Science Daily • Feb. 1, 2026

All structures built within 100 metres of transmission lines that cut over the lagoon were marked for removal.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

They searched the camp, the lagoon, the fishing lines, the jetty, everywhere they could think to look.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

• bayou
• pond
• pool