barrier island

noun
1.
a broadened barrier beach, habitable in places, that provides a measure of protection for the mainland, as during hurricanes and tidal waves.
Examples from the web for barrier island
  • You're heading for the uninhabited barrier island ahead.
  • Below is a simplified cross section of a barrier island.
  • When planning your trip, please consult the barrier island visitation policies provided on this page.
  • In response to rising sea level, the barrier island migrated shoreward over lagoonal muds.
  • The open bay environments expand through time at the expense of adjacent barrier island and salt marsh habitats.
barrier island in Science
barrier island
  (bār'ē-ər)   
A long, narrow sand island that is parallel to the mainland and serves to protect the coast from erosion. Barrier islands typically have dunes along the exposed outer side, zones of vegetation in the interior, and swampy areas along the inner lagoon.
barrier island in Culture

barrier island definition


Any low sandy island that is parallel to the mainland and protects it from storms. (See Cape Hatteras.)

Note: Barrier islands normally change location every ten to thirty years, a fact that makes coastline management a major problem in environmental policy.