shoreline n : a boundary line between land and water

English

Etymology

shore + line

Noun

1. The line between land and a body of water.
2. The line on a map that separates land and water.

Translations

• French: rivage

A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake.

Shores are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape, as well as by water induced erosion, such as waves. The geological composition of rock and soil dictates the type of shore which is created. Although a beach is a synonym for a shore, the term typically refers to shores which are sandy or pebbly, which can be produced by erosion of sedimentary soils.

A strict definition is the strip of land along a water body that is alternately exposed and covered by waves and tides. Shores may also include a strip of land by a body of water, such as a lake.

See also

• Coast
• Littoral zone - the area covered by the tides.