littoral

[ lit-er-uh l ]
/ ˈlɪt ər əl /

adjective

of or relating to the shore of a lake, sea, or ocean.
(on ocean shores) of or relating to the biogeographic region between the sublittoral zone and the high-water line and sometimes including the supralittoral zone above the high-water line.
of or relating to the region of freshwater lake beds from the sublittoral zone up to and including damp areas on shore. Compare intertidal.

noun

a littoral region.

Origin of littoral

1650–60; < Latin littorālis, variant of lītorālis of the shore, equivalent to lītor- (stem of lītus) shore + -ālis -al1

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH littoral

literal littoral

Example sentences from the Web for littoral

British Dictionary definitions for littoral

littoral
/ (ˈlɪtərəl) /

adjective

of or relating to the shore of a sea, lake, or ocean
biology inhabiting the shore of a sea or lake or the shallow waters near the shore littoral fauna

noun

a coastal or shore region

Word Origin for littoral

C17: from Late Latin littorālis, from lītorālis, from lītus shore

Scientific definitions for littoral

littoral
[ lĭtər-əl ]

Relating to the coastal zone between the limits of high and low tides. The littoral zone is subject to a wide range of environmental conditions, including high-energy wave action and intermittent periods of flooding and drying along with the associated fluctuations in exposure to solar radiation and extremes of temperature. Compare sublittoral.