Fjord
noun /fjɔːd/ — A long, narrow sea inlet between steep cliffs
Definition
A long, narrow inlet of the sea between high cliffs — typically formed by glacial erosion. An enclosed arm of the sea cut deep into the land.
Beyond the definition
The landscape of impossible enclosure. A fjord is where the sea comes inland to be held by stone — water that has agreed to become part of the land's geography.
Origin & history
From Norwegian 'fjord', Old Norse 'fjörðr' (inlet). Entered English in the 17th century through contact with Scandinavian geography.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The ship moved slowly through the fjord, cliff walls rising on both sides into low cloud.
Fjords are made by patience — glaciers taking tens of thousands of years to cut their way to the sea.
There is a particular silence in a fjord — the walls contain it, prevent it from dispersing.
Synonyms
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.
Fictional scene
Enclosed Deep Water Inlet
A massive waterfall crashes down into a gorge with vertical walls, dwarfing an adult who stands on a rock ledge.
A fjord is a narrow inlet between high cliffs. The gorge shown here, with its sheer, vertical walls and deep water, serves as a visual analogy for a fjord: it represents the sense of an enclosed arm of the sea or water cut deep into the land, emphasizing the scale and verticality of such landscapes.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration