aquarium

English Online Dictionary. What means aquarium‎? What does aquarium mean?

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin aquārium, neuter of aquārius (“of or pertaining to water”), from aqua +‎ -arium. Doublet of ewer; see also Aquarius. Also claimed to be coined by English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse, as a blend of aquatic +‎ vivarium.

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: ə-kwârʹē-əm, IPA^(key): /əˈkwɛɹ.i.jəm/, /-ɛɹiəm/

Noun

aquarium (plural aquaria or aquariums)

2. A tank, often made of glass, for keeping live fish or other aquatic animals.

   Synonym: (informal) fish tank

4. A public place where live fish and other aquatic animals are exhibited.

Usage notes

The plural aquaria is generally considered more formal than aquariums.

Derived terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• aquarium on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin aquārium. Influenced by English aquarium. Doublet of aker.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aːˈkʋaː.ri.ʏm/
• Hyphenation: aqua‧ri‧um
• Rhymes: -aːriʏm

Noun

aquarium n (plural aquaria or aquariums, diminutive aquariumpje n)

1. aquarium
2. (obsolete) water basin, water tank

Derived terms

• zeeaquarium

Related terms

• aker

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin aquārium. Doublet of évier.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.kwa.ʁjɔm/
• Homophone: aquariums

Noun

aquarium m (plural aquariums)

1. aquarium
2. (slang) a clambake (an instance of smoking in an enclosed space)

Further reading

• “aquarium”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /aˈkʷaː.ri.um/, [äˈkʷäːriʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /aˈkwa.ri.um/, [äˈkwäːrium]

Adjective

aquārium

1. nominative neuter singular of aquārius

References

• aquarium in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)