maritime

adjective

Synonyms of maritime
1
: of, relating to, or bordering on the sea
a maritime province
2
: of or relating to navigation or commerce on the sea
3
: having the characteristics of a mariner

Did you know?

The maritime countries of Portugal and England produced many seafaring explorers during the 16th and 17th centuries, many of whom sailed under the flags of other countries. Sailing for the Spanish, Ferdinand Magellan captained the ship that was the first to circle the world, charting many new maritime routes as it went. Henry Hudson, funded by the Dutch, sailed up what we call today the Hudson River, claiming the maritime area that now includes New York City for the Netherlands.

Examples of maritime in a Sentence

The country's maritime industry is an important part of its economy. She's an expert in maritime law.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At least two ships were hit in the Strait of Hormuz in the past week, while several others reported near misses or warnings from entities claiming to represent Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, according to maritime data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence. ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 The Houthis have particularly risen as a menace to Saudi Arabia, targeting oil tankers and imposing a blockade on Saudi shipping in a critical maritime trade route, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait located at the base of the Red Sea. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 Global maritime organizations have made civilian vessel self-defense a regulatory nightmare. Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 These attributes can reduce logistical burden, extend mission endurance, and deliver resilient power for maritime and expeditionary operations while maintaining low acoustic and thermal signatures. Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for maritime

Word History

Etymology

Latin maritimus, from mare

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maritime was circa 1550

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Cite this Entry

“Maritime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maritime. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

maritime

adjective
1
: of, relating to, or bordering on the sea
maritime nations
2
: of or relating to navigation or commerce on the sea
maritime law

Legal Definition

maritime

adjective
: of or relating to navigation or commerce on navigable waters

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