cove

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a recessed place : concavity: such as
a
: an architectural member with a concave cross section
b
: a trough for concealed lighting at the upper part of a wall
2
: a small sheltered inlet or bay
3
a
: a deep recess or small valley in the side of a mountain
b
: a level area sheltered by hills or mountains

cove

2 of 3

verb

coved; coving

transitive verb

: to make in a hollow concave form

cove

3 of 3

noun (2)

British, old-fashioned
: man, fellow

Examples of cove in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Beyond the hippy days and techno raves, the best things to do in Ibiza can be attributed to the island's staggering natural beauty of windswept beaches, coves, rocky red cliffs and pine forests. Chloe Sachdev, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2024 Based on the island’s southern shores on a sheltered beach cove, the eco-chic Six Senses La Sagesse will include 56 pool suites and 15 villas, plus a selection of restaurants (including SeaFire, pictured above) and a signature Six Senses spa. Nicole Trilivas, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 Janis Mackey Frayer Wajima straddles a cove on the peninsula, just 20 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake, the strongest to rock the country in nearly 12 years. Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 7 Jan. 2024 On the western end of the island, make the 30-minute trek in Colombier down a sandy trail to the namesake beach, reachable only by foot or via yachts which anchor in the crystal-clear cove. Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Jan. 2024 There are secluded coves and sea caves to discover by boat. Lindsay Cohn, Parents, 28 Nov. 2023 Long Cove Resort not only boasts its own tiny house community for glamping but also features a beach cove, lakefront cottages, RV campground, marina and more. Blair Brown, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 This trail winds through tree hammocks, coves and beaches. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 The boat trip to get to Goddard Hot Springs is full of twists and turns through a labyrinth of coves and channels, but the payoff is real: The only thing better than the hot springs are the views of the forest and ocean from their surface. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cove.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, den, from Old English cofa; akin to Old High German chubisi hut

Noun (2)

Romani kova thing, person

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1756, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cove was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cove

Cite this Entry

“Cove.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cove. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cove

noun
ˈkōv
1
: a small sheltered inlet or bay
2
: a level area sheltered by hills or mountains

More from Merriam-Webster on cove

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