What does the prefix aqua- mean?
Aqua- comes from the Latin aqua, which means "water". It shows up in science, nature and everyday words. The idea is always the same: something has to do with water or lives in it.
ESEN
Prefix · element · water
aqua-
Means "water": aquarium, aquatic, aquifer, aqueduct, aquaculture, aqueous.
Basic
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Aqua- and the water words around you
Aqua- turns up in places you might not expect: swimming and fitness classes, fish tanks, ancient water channels and the study of water underground. It is also the root of aquamarine, the pale blue-green color named after seawater. Spot aqua- in a word and you can nearly always say how it connects to water.
How it is used
Combines with Latin roots to create vocabulary about water, aquatic life, and engineering:
- aqua- + container/channelrium → aquariumduct → aqueductfer → aquiferculture → aquaculture
- aqua- + quality/environmenttic → aquaticeous → aqueousnaut → aquanautplane → aquaplane
Pronunciation: /ˈæk.wə/.
How it is pronounced
aqua-/ˈæk.wə/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With aqua-
In a phrase
- riumaquariumThe aquarium displays hundreds of species from tropical seas worldwide.
- ticaquaticDolphins and whales are the most intelligent aquatic mammals on Earth.
- feraquiferThe drought has seriously depleted the underground aquifer supplying the region.
- eousaqueousDissolve the powder in an aqueous solution at room temperature.
- ductaqueductThe Romans built aqueducts to carry fresh water across vast distances.
- cultureaquacultureNorway leads the world in salmon aquaculture and sustainable fish farming.
- nautaquanautThe aquanaut spent two weeks living and working in an underwater habitat.
Common mistakes
confusing "aquifer" with "aquarium"
"aquifer" = a natural underground freshwater reservoir; "aquarium" = a built tank or building for displaying marine life
Both use aqua- (water) but refer to very different things: aquifer (aqua + ferre = water carrier) is a geological formation; aquarium (aqua + arium = place of water) is a human-built structure. Context usually makes the distinction clear, but the words look similar enough to cause confusion.
A trick to remember it
Picture an aquarium full of water: aqua- = water. aquarium, aquatic.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
What is aquaculture?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix aqua- mean in English?
The prefix aqua- means "water": aquarium, aquatic, aquifer, aqueduct, aquaculture, aqueous.
How do you pronounce aqua-?
The prefix aqua- is pronounced /ˈæk.wə/. For example, "aquarium".
Can you give an example of a word with aqua-?
"rium" becomes "aquarium". It is a typical example of the aqua- prefix.
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