World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesStrait
/streɪt/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water.
"Cargo ships must navigate carefully when passing through the narrow strait." - 2
A situation of serious difficulty, distress, or financial pressure (usually used in plural).
"The company found itself in dire straits after losing its primary investors."
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from Middle English streit, from Old French estreit, meaning 'narrow' or 'tight', which traces back to the Latin strictus (past participle of stringere, meaning 'to draw tight'). Historically applied to narrow bodies of water connecting two larger bodies, reflecting the restricted passage they create for navigation.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Strait"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Strait" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
détroit
Transliteration: [detʁwa]
"Le détroit de Gibraltar relie l'océan Atlantique à la mer Méditerranée."
Meerenge
Transliteration: [ˈmeːɐ̯ˌʔɛŋə]
"Die Meerenge trennt die beiden Kontinente voneinander."
stretto
Transliteration: [ˈstretto]
"Lo stretto di Messina separa la Sicilia dalla Calabria."
estrecho
Transliteration: [esˈtɾetʃo]
"El estrecho de Magallanes es un paso navegable muy importante."
estreito
Transliteration: [iʃˈtɾe.tu]
"O território estritamente localizado junto ao estreito é de grande valor estratégico."
जलDमरুমध्य
Transliteration: jaladamarumadhya
Script: जलडमरूमध्य
"पाक जलडमरूमध्य भारत और श्रीलंका को अलग करता है।"
海峡
Transliteration: hǎixiá
"船只正安全地通过海峡。"
해협
Transliteration: haehyeop
"그 배는 좁은 해협을 통과했습니다."
海峡
Transliteration: kaikyō
"その船は霧の中を海峡へ進んだ。"
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