ebbtide

1 9.7

A time when the sea moves away from the shore

noun
/ˈɛbˌtaɪd/

Specialized

: marea baja

The coastal village thrives on the rhythm of the ebbtide, as fishermen set out to catch the receding water's bounty.

Examples

The moonlit whitecaps of ebbtide broke majestically at the beachhead.

Fiction book (1996)
As the sun set, we watched the calm waves of the ebbtide flow gently back into the sea.
During the ebbtide, we collected shells that had been washed up along the shore.

Synonyms

ebb

vsebbtide

4 6.0

The tide that moves away from the land toward the sea

is the time period rather than the movement of water

reflux

vsebbtide

Archaic

7.5

Sea water moves away from the shore at low tide

is the time period rather than the motion itself

Antonyms

high tide

26 1.8

The time when the sea reaches its highest level

flood tide

Specialized

1 4.8

Period when the sea rises toward the shore between low and high tide

How Strong

springtide

Literature

9.3

ebbtide

Specialized

1 9.7

neap tide

Specialized

6.3

slack tide

Specialized

1 7.0

Surface Forms

ebbtide singular

ebbtides plural

Morphology

ebbtide = ebb + tide (transparent) = ebb + tide

Clear compound of 'ebb' + 'tide'; the meaning is directly derived from the two component words.

Etymology

The word ebbtide joins two simple words, ebb meaning 'to flow back' and tide meaning 'the movement of the sea'. So, ebbtide is the time when the water goes away from the shore.