Groyne
//ɡɹɔɪn// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An often wooden structure that projects from a coastline to prevent erosion, longshore drift etc.; a breakwater.
"Old rail and timber groynes will be erected along the beach to trap shingle moved by coastwise drift, and to rebuild the protection to the toe of the embankment."
- 2 a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away wordnet
Example
More examples"Old rail and timber groynes will be erected along the beach to trap shingle moved by coastwise drift, and to rebuild the protection to the toe of the embankment."
Etymology
From Middle English groyn (“snout”), from Old French groign, from Late Latin grunium, grunia, from Latin grunnire (“grunt like a pig”).
Related phrases
More for "groyne"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.