fjord

noun

fē-ˈȯrd How to pronounce fjord (audio) ˈfē-ˌȯrd How to pronounce fjord (audio)
ˈfyȯrd
variants or less commonly fiord
Synonyms of fjordnext
: a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes
the fjords of Norway

Illustration of fjord

Illustration of fjord

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of fjord in a Sentence

a cruise through the breathtaking fjords along the coast of Norway
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.
The scenery is just as captivating as the storytelling: Think snowcapped mountains, sweeping aerial shots of frozen fjords, pristine snowy forests, and ice shards floating in dark rivers. — Andrea Duncan-Mao, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025 Visits to bustling port towns like Sitka and Ketchikan are balanced with days spent entirely in the wilderness of Endicott Arm and Misty fjords. — Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 18 Feb. 2025 Visitors look over mountains, islands, fjords, and the sea. — Robin Raven, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 Along the way, listen to northern lights stories and get a glimpse of beautiful fjords and wintery landscapes. — Jamie Davis Smith, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fjord

Word History

Etymology

Norwegian fjord, from Old Norse fjǫrthr — more at ford

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fjord was in 1674

Rhymes for fjord

See All Rhymes for fjord

Browse Nearby Words

fjord
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fjord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fjord. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

fjord

noun
variants also fiord
fē-ˈȯrd
: a narrow inlet of the sea between cliffs or steep slopes
Etymology

Norwegian

More from Merriam-Webster on fjord

Nglish: Translation of fjord for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fjord

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
girl-pencil-test
Challenging Standardized Test Words Quiz Vol. 3 You’re on your own for the math section.
See All