bight
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
A bay is the most general term for a body of water partly surrounded by land. A bight is a specific kind of bay created by a gentle curve in the coastline — it is wider and more open than most bays, so it does not feel as enclosed. A cove is much smaller and rounder, often with a narrow entrance that makes it feel very sheltered. An inlet is a narrow, often long strip of water that reaches into the land from a sea or lake. A gulf is a very large, deep bay, such as the Gulf of Mexico. For example: the Great Australian Bight is so wide open that sailors crossing it feel they are still on the open ocean, while a cove offers protection from the wind and waves.
Common collocations
Nouns
- bight of the coast
- bight of the river
- bight of the shoreline
Phrases
- sheltered bight
- wide bight
- sandy bight
Prepositions
- in a bight
- into a bight
- behind the bight
Etymology
From Old English 'byht', meaning a bend or corner; related to the verb 'bīegan' (to bow or bend). The word shares a common root with 'bow' (as in bending forward) and German 'Bucht' (bay). The sense of a loop in a rope (a nautical use) developed from the same idea of something bending back on itself.