intertidal

adjective

in·​ter·​tid·​al ˌin-tər-ˈtī-dᵊl How to pronounce intertidal (audio)
: of, relating to, or being the part of the littoral zone above low-tide mark
intertidally adverb

Examples of intertidal in a Sentence

animals that live in the intertidal zone
Recent Examples on the Web Chitons, small mollusks that live on intertidal rocks and in the deep sea, are like little tanks protected by eight shell plates — a body plan that’s remained relatively stable for some 300 million years. Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, used to be the site of intertidal flats where oyster beds grew. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 8 June 2017 These intertidal systems are meant to be sometimes underwater, sometimes half underwater and sometimes fully above water. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023 Two years later, the intertidal zone of the Pacific Northwest coast is still recovering from a devastating heat wave. Kylie Mohr, The Atlantic, 24 Aug. 2023 The decades-long photo series is also helping researchers understand the region’s natural variability, where the intertidal zone changes from boulder to boulder, bay to bay, year to year. J. Besl, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 June 2023 Together, the photos demonstrate the dynamism of the intertidal zone, where mussels, barnacles and seaweed clamor for real estate. J. Besl, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 June 2023 Another lesson: Putting these test reefs in the intertidal zone – where they’re exposed to the air at low tide – does a lot to protect them. Lawrence Specker | Lspecker@al.com, al, 2 June 2023 Explore the sea life of the intertidal area, watch the sky change into a watercolor painting as the sun melts into the horizon, and walk along the dramatic cliffs and caves. Karen Ruffini, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intertidal was in 1883

Dictionary Entries Near intertidal

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

intertidal

adjective
in·​ter·​tid·​al ˌint-ər-ˈtīd-ᵊl How to pronounce intertidal (audio)
: of, relating to, or being the area that is above low-tide mark but exposed to flooding by the tide
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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