fjord

noun

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

Illustration of fjord

Illustration of fjord

Synonyms of fjord

Relevance
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 tiny Norwegian archipelago, 68 degrees north of the Arctic Circle and two flights from Oslo, is a distinctive and dramatic landscape with spiky mountains rising from the Norwegian Sea and sandy beaches fringed by fjords. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026 With spotters overlooking the fjords and communicating from land, fishers set fires in canoes to lure tuna close enough to harpoon. — Torben Rick, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 For more remote beauty, the islands of Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof give you the chance to indulge in natural hot springs—along with all the fjords, glaciers, and waterfalls in between. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026 Their adventure takes them from the icy fjords of Norway through Byzantine intrigue and along the legendary Silk Road, bringing together Viking grit, ancient Chinese wisdom, unexpected alliances and a touch of magic. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026 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

fjeld
fjord
fjorded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fjord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fjord. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fjord

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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 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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All