Lagoon

noun (countable)

/ləˈɡuːn/

A shallow body of water separated from the open sea by a low-lying barrier such as a coral reef, sandspit, or barrier island, with limited or seasonal connection to the ocean through inlets or tidal channels. Coastal lagoons cover about 13% of the world's coastlines and are highly productive ecosystems. In India, Chilika Lake in Odisha (Asia's largest brackish water lagoon, ~1,100 km²) and Vembanad Lake in Kerala are internationally recognised as Ramsar Wetland sites; Pulicat Lake on the Andhra Pradesh–Tamil Nadu border is another major example.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Chilika Lake, India's largest brackish-water lagoon and a Ramsar Wetland since 1981, supports over 160 species of birds during peak winter migration, generating ecological services valued at an estimated ₹7,100 crore annually.

Synonyms

coastal lakebrackish lakeatoll lakeback-barrier lakeestuary (partial)tidal flat

Antonyms

open seadeep oceanfluvial laketectonic lakecrater lake

🌱 Word Family

lagoon (noun), lagoonal (adjective), lagoonal deposit (compound noun), laguna (Spanish variant)

🔡 Root

Italian laguna = pool, pond; from Latin lacuna = pit, hole, pool; from lacus = lake

📜 Etymology

Borrowed from Italian laguna (shallow lake or pool), which derives from Latin lacuna (a pit, ditch, or pool), itself from lacus (lake). The word entered English in the 17th century through descriptions of the Venetian Lagoon (Laguna di Venezia), and by the 18th century it was applied globally to any shallow coastal water body separated from the sea. The English variant lagune also circulated before the modern spelling stabilised.

🧠 Memory Hook

LAGOON = a LAKE GONe saltwater-y. A lagoon is a lake-like body trapped behind a coastal barrier, mixing freshwater with sea. Venice sits in one — imagine gondolas gliding in a partially enclosed 'lake'.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2025 — World Geography
Prelims 2025 — World Geography

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Lagoon” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

🌍 Geography 📖 Seen in: Plate Tectonics & Volcanism — Continen...

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