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Added 2 October 2026

aquarium

/əˈkwɛɹ.i.jəm/ noun

Latin root: aquārium Coined: a coined word, by Philip Henry Gosse Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about aquarium at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A tank, often made of glass, for keeping live fish or other aquatic animals.
A public place where live fish and other aquatic animals are exhibited.

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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