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Glite Dictionary
Narragansett Bay

Narragansett Bay

6.7
A large deep bay in Rhode Island with many harbors and islands
  • proper noun
  • /ˌnɛrəˈɡænˌsɛt beɪ/
translation icon : Bahía Narragansett
  • Many boaters enjoy sailing in Narragansett Bay during the summer months.

Examples

  • These significant discharges of sewage into Narragansett Bay translate into differing assessments of the bay's water quality.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Densely populated and highly urbanized, Rhode Island is not only the 12th most forested state (60 percent) but also the state with the highest proportion of inland waters (13 percent, including Narragansett Bay).

    Academic text (1990)

  • Narragansett Bay is the centerpiece of Rhode Island's natural resources.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The discussion group divided Rhode Island's environmental concerns into five areas within the state's purview: waste reduction efforts; conservation of water and energy; preservation of species, natural areas, and open spaces; equitable use of and access to environmental resources; and restoration of the unique Rhode Island resource, Narragansett Bay.

    Academic text (1990)

  • However, in wet weather, 116 sewage overflows discharge a combination of untreated sewage, industrial wastewater, and storm runoff into Narragansett Bay.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The stunning views from the cliffs overlook Narragansett Bay and its many islands.

  • Fishing in Narragansett Bay is a popular pastime for both locals and tourists.

Surface Forms

Narragansett Bay main

Morphology

Narragansett + bay

This is a place-name formed by a proper name + the geographic noun 'bay', so a learner who knows 'bay' can infer it denotes a coastal inlet associated with the name Narragansett. Proper names may be unknown in content but do not block compositional interpretation: the pattern 'X Bay' regularly means 'the bay of X' and is cross-linguistically familiar. Therefore the overall meaning is predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

Narragansett Bay comes from the Native American people called the Narragansett, who lived along the bay's shores long ago. Because their name was used for the place, Narragansett Bay now means the large 'inlet' of the Atlantic in Rhode Island.