Cove
noun /kəʊv/ — A small sheltered bay — a pocket of calm in the coastline.
Definition
A small sheltered bay or indentation in a coastline, typically with a sand or shingle beach; a recess or hollow in a rock face.
Beyond the definition
A cove is the landscape being generous — it creates a pocket of shelter, a place enclosed enough to feel held. Coves have always been important to fishermen and pirates alike: shelter attracts both the humble and the hidden.
Origin & history
From Old English cofa — a chamber, inner room. A cove is a coastal room — the land curving around water to create enclosure.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
They found the cove at the end of a difficult path — small, sandy, and entirely private.
The cove was too small to appear on any map but known to everyone who lived nearby.
A cove offers the sea in a manageable quantity — contained, calm, comprehensible.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Cove” when the meaning fits your context: A small sheltered bay or indentation in a coastline, typically with a sand or shingle beach; a recess or hollow in a rock face.
Synonyms
bay, inlet, creek, bight, harbour
Antonyms
open sea, exposed coast, headland
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Illustrative example
Swans in a small sheltered bay
Several white swans float together near a wooded shoreline that creates a small, sheltered area in the water.
The indentation in the shoreline creates a small, sheltered area for the swans, which serves as a visual analogy for a cove.
Image credit: Vasil.somecrow · CC0 (license)
Resized and converted to WebP; full composition retained.
Questions about this word
What does "Cove" mean?
Cove is noun meaning: A small sheltered bay — a pocket of calm in the coastline.. A small sheltered bay or indentation in a coastline, typically with a sand or shingle beach; a recess or hollow in a rock face.
Where does the word "Cove" come from?
From Old English cofa — a chamber, inner room. A cove is a coastal room — the land curving around water to create enclosure.