red tide

noun

An algal bloom of sufficient quantity to cause discoloration (often red) in a body of water; red tides can potentially cause irritation or death to exposed creatures.

Similar
crimson tide
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Meanings

nounred tide (plural red tides)

plural red tides

  1. An algal bloom of sufficient quantity to cause discoloration (often red) in a body of water; red tides can potentially cause irritation or death to exposed creatures.
    1. specifically, one caused by Karenia brevis.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
crimson tide

Origin

From red + tide.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 赤潮, 紅潮 /红潮
  • 赤潮 (chìcháo)algal bloom
  • 紅潮 /红潮 (hóngcháo)algal bloom
Finnish punainen vuorovesi
  • punainen vuorovesialgal bloom
French marée rouge
  • marée rougealgal bloom
German rote Flut
  • rote Flutalgal bloom
Greek κόκκινη παλίρροια
  • κόκκινη παλίρροια (kókkini palírroia)algal bloom
Hungarian vörös dagály
  • vörös dagályalgal bloom
Japanese 赤潮
  • 赤潮 (akashio)algal bloom
Polish czerwony przypływ
  • czerwony przypływalgal bloom
Portuguese maré vermelha
  • maré vermelhaalgal bloom
Russian кра́сный прили́в
  • кра́сный прили́в (krásnyj prilív)algal bloom
Spanish marea roja
  • marea rojaalgal bloom
Thai ช่วงน้ำแดง
  • ช่วงน้ำแดง (chûangnáam daeng)algal bloom
Vietnamese thuỷ triều đỏ
  • thuỷ triều đỏalgal bloom
Cite this entry
APA

red tide. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/red%20tide

MLA

“red tide.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/red%20tide. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “red tide,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/red%20tide.

Source: red tide on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.