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fjord

fjord

10 7.5
A long narrow arm of the sea between high cliffs, often made by glaciers
  • noun
  • /fjɔrd/
translation icon : fiordo
  • Tourists flock to see the stunning fjord that cuts through the mountains of Norway.

Examples

  • I can't see where the fjord merges with the sea.

    Academic text (1998)
  • As we drew near to the mouth of the fjord, the waves bulked larger.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The city was on one side and the fjord below.

  • Captain, we're holding outside the fjord, awaiting your orders.

  • Let's meet on the fjord.

  • Below, the fjord seems to bend, split in two.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Anchor the boat out on the fjord.

  • Merrik and I will go for a walk down to the fjord.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The huge expanse of water below, the tree-covered mountains on the opposite side of the fjord, all was silent, eerily so.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Where the fjord widens into a small inland sea lies the irregular, oblong island of Mors.

    Academic text (1995)

Synonyms

inlet
vsfjord
15 3.8

A narrow part of a sea, lake, or river that reaches into the land between rocks

is specifically carved by glaciers between high cliffs not any simple arm of water
firth
vsfjord
  • UK
1 9.9

A long narrow part of the sea that goes into the land

is carved by glaciers between steep cliffs and typical of Norway

Compounds

A long narrow bay in central Norway by the city of Trondheim

How Big

sea
1.0
fjord
10 7.5
lake
793 1.0
loch
  • UK
9 7.7
pond
266 1.0

Surface Forms

fjord singular
fjords plural

Etymology

Fjord comes from the Old Norse word fjörðr, which means 'inlet' or 'bay' and was used by people in Norway for deep, narrow sea arms formed by ice. So a fjord is a long, narrow part of the sea between high cliffs, which makes the word easy to picture.