barrier island

barrier island

n.

A long, relatively narrow island running parallel to the mainland, built up by the action of waves and currents and serving to protect the coast from erosion by surf and tidal surges.

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barrier island  (br-r)

A long, narrow sand island that is parallel to the mainland and serves to protect the coast from erosion. Barrier islands typically have dunes along the exposed outer side, zones of vegetation in the interior, and swampy areas along the inner lagoon.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

barrier island - a long narrow sandy island (wider than a reef) running parallel to the shore island - a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water