mangrove
MAN-grohv
/ˈmæŋ.ɡrəʊv/
A tree or shrub that grows in tropical coastal swamps, having tangled roots above ground.
Refers to salt-tolerant woody vegetation with characteristic aerial stilt roots growing along coastal shores.
The story behind the word. Traced back to South American Carib languages via Portuguese 'mangue' and Spanish 'mangle', modified by folk etymology in English to incorporate 'grove'.
Word relationships
- coastal wetland forest: Coastal wetland forest is a descriptive phrase, whereas mangrove names the precise salt-tolerant plant family.
Commonly confused with
- swamp: Swamps can exist inland in fresh water; mangroves exist exclusively in coastal, saline tropical environments.
Word family
- mangroves (noun): Multiple mangrove trees or forests.
Collocations
- mangrove swamp
- mangrove forest
- mangrove roots
- mangrove ecosystem
Example sentences
- "The dense mangrove forest buffered the village coastline against violent storm surges." Coastal Defense
Memory hook
Man, those GROVES of roots grow right out of salt water! Mangrove = coastal trees standing high on entangled roots in saltwater.
When not to use
Do not use for inland freshwater pine forests or alpine trees.
Fun facts
- Mangrove roots act as natural filter systems, filtering out up to 90 percent of salt from seawater.
Related words
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