Today it means: A marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, split between British Columbia, Canada and Washington, United States. Surrounded by Washington State to the southeast, south, and southwest, the British Columbia mainland to the northeast, and Vancouver Island to the northwest; opening to the west onto the Pacific Ocean, and leading north into the Inside Passage. Full definition →
Salish + sea. Coined by American marine biologist Bert Webber in 1988. Named after the indigenous Salish people who inhabit the region. Coined in order to have a common name for the regional waters of Georgia Strait, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.