coastline

Definition

The shape, outline, or boundary of a coast. (The term coastline is generally used to describe the approximate boundaries at relatively large spatial scales.)

Etymology

From coast + line.

Example Sentences

• "The sweep of the rocky Southern California coastline off Point Fermin."
• "Tarbarrels and bonfires were lighted along the coastline of the four seas on the summits of the Hill of Howth, Three Rock Mountain, Sugarloaf, Bray Head, the mountains of Mourne, the Galtees, the Ox and Donegal and Sperrin peaks, the Nagles and the Bograghs, the Connemara hills, the reeks of M’ Gillicuddy, Slieve Aughty, Slieve Bernagh and Slieve Bloom."
• "With the sea below us grey and storm swept, and the coast line vague in the driving rain, we forged our way up the bank to breast the summit at 37 m.p.h."