man·grove
ˈman-ˌgrōv
ˈmaŋ-
1
: any of a genus (Rhizophora, especially R. mangle of the family Rhizophoraceae) of tropical maritime trees or shrubs that send out many prop roots and form dense masses important in coastal land building and as foundations of unique ecosystems
2
: any of numerous trees (as of the genera Avicennia of the acanthus family or Sonneratia of the family Lythraceae) with growth habits like those of the true mangroves
variants
or less commonly mangrove
: a brackish-water coastal swamp of tropical and subtropical areas that is usually dominated by shrubby halophytes and is partly inundated by tidal flow
Cite this Entry
“Mangrove.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mangrove. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.
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