tidal
gb/tˈaɪdəl/ us/tˈaɪdəl/
B2
Anglais
~ 8500
Sens
0 sens
unknown
B2
property
1
Related to the sea’s tides
Connected to the regular rise and fall of the sea, called the tide.
Schéma d’usage :
tidal [noun]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think "tidal" means simply "big" or "stormy" when talking about the sea. It specifically refers to the regular rise and fall of sea level. They may also say *"the sea is very tidal today"* when they mean *"the tide is very high"* or *"the tidal current is very strong"*. Another confusion is using "tidal wave" as a neutral word for any big wave; in science it is not the standard term for a tsunami, even though it is common in everyday language.
Synonymes
marine (Describes things related to the sea in general, not only to the rise and fall of the tide.)
Antonymes
non-tidal (Used for rivers or areas of water that are not affected by the sea’s tides.)
Collocations
tidal river
|tidal current
|tidal flow
|tidal range
|tidal marsh
|tidal basin
Thèmes
nature
|science
|geography
Exemples
- The new seawall is designed to protect the village from tidal flooding.
- This stretch of the river is tidal, so the water level changes throughout the day.
- Strong tidal currents make the entrance to the harbor dangerous for small boats.
- The wetlands provide a rich habitat for birds in the tidal zone.
Exemples pédagogiques
- A tidal river rises and falls with the sea.
- The town built gates to stop tidal water from entering the streets.
- We checked the map to see which parts of the coast were tidal.
- Tidal currents can move swimmers away from the beach.
adjective
technical
C1
property
2
Caused by tide-forming gravity
Caused by the pull of gravity that also makes ocean tides, especially when talking about planets and moons.
Schéma d’usage :
tidal [noun]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think this sense only refers to the ocean, but in physics and astronomy "tidal" often describes gravity effects in space where there is no water at all.
Synonymes
gravitational (General word for anything related to gravity; "tidal" refers more specifically to gravity effects similar to those that cause tides.)
Antonymes
non-gravitational (Describes forces or effects not caused by gravity, such as electromagnetic or nuclear forces.)
Collocations
tidal forces
|tidal heating
|tidal locking
|tidal acceleration
|tidal disruption
Thèmes
science
|astronomy
|physics
Exemples
- The intense tidal forces near the black hole would tear a spacecraft apart.
- Io’s volcanoes are powered by tidal heating from Jupiter’s gravity.
- Over millions of years, tidal interactions can slow a planet’s rotation.
- Tidal locking causes the Moon to always show the same face to the Earth.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Strong tidal forces act on moons that orbit close to their planets.
- Tidal heating keeps some icy moons warm inside.
- Because of tidal effects, the day on Earth is slowly getting longer.
adjective
literary
C1
property
3
Very large and overwhelming
Very big and strong, and not easy to stop, like a very strong tide.
Schéma d’usage :
tidal [noun]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may treat this as a general synonym for "big" and use it in sentences where there is no idea of movement or spreading, such as *"a tidal building"* or *"a tidal problem"*. It is usually used for strong feelings, reactions, or social changes that grow quickly, often in the fixed phrase "a tidal wave of [something]".
Synonymes
overwhelming (Very strong or great in amount; "tidal" adds a more poetic image of something that moves and grows like the sea.)
Antonymes
small-scale (Describes something limited in size or effect, the opposite of a sweeping, tidal movement.)
Collocations
tidal wave of anger
|tidal wave of change
|tidal wave of protest
|tidal surge of support
Thèmes
metaphor
|emotions
|society
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The election result was driven by a tidal wave of public frustration.
- The new law unleashed a tidal surge of criticism from all sides.
- She felt a tidal pull of grief as the memories returned.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The government faced a tidal wave of protest after the decision.
- The film created a tidal wave of interest in the old book.
- He felt a tidal wave of sadness when he heard the news.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
tidal
API
GB/tˈaɪdəl/
US/tˈaɪdəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
tid - al (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (tid)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: tidal
Famille de mots
Core family
tide
noun B1
Advanced or less common
tidally
adverb
Expressions
tidal basin
1/tˈaɪdəl bˈeɪsən/
fixed phrase
Water area affected by tides
An area of water next to the sea where the water level goes up and down with the tide.
Exemples
- The city plans to restore wetlands around the tidal basin.
- At low tide, mudflats appear along the edges of the tidal basin.
tidal current
1/tˈaɪdəl kˈɚənt/
fixed phrase
technical
Water flow caused by tides
A movement of water in the sea or a river that happens because of the tide.
Exemples
- Boats must be careful in this channel because of the strong tidal current.
- Divers checked the schedule to avoid swimming during the fastest tidal currents.
tidal energy
1/tˈaɪdəl ˈɛnɚd͡ʒi/
fixed phrase
technical
Energy from ocean tides
Energy we get by using the rise and fall of the sea’s tides.
Exemples
- Tidal energy is one form of renewable energy being tested in this region.
- Researchers are studying how to store tidal energy more efficiently.
tidal flat
1/tˈaɪdəl flˈæt/
fixed phrase
technical
Flat coast flooded by tides
A flat area of land near the sea that is under water at high tide and dry at low tide.
Exemples
- Birds feed on the tidal flats when the water goes out.
- The park protects a wide tidal flat that is rich in sea life.
tidal power
1/tˈaɪdəl pˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
Electricity from ocean tides
Electricity that is made by using the movement of the sea’s tides.
Exemples
- The government is investing in tidal power as a clean energy source.
- Engineers say tidal power could provide reliable electricity for coastal towns.
- Unlike wind or solar, tidal power is very predictable.
tidal range
1/tˈaɪdəl ɹˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
Difference between high and low tide
The difference in height between the sea at high tide and at low tide.
Exemples
- This bay has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world.
- A large tidal range can create strong currents in narrow channels.
tidal wave
1/tˈaɪdəl wˈeɪv/
fixed phrase
Very large sea wave
A very big, strong wave in the sea that can cause a lot of damage.
Exemples
- The coastal town was destroyed by a massive tidal wave.
- Sirens warned residents to move to higher ground as the tidal wave approached.
- After the earthquake, people feared a tidal wave might hit the nearby islands.
tidal wave of
1/tˈaɪdəl wˈeɪv əv/
idiom
Sudden, huge amount of something
A very big and fast increase of something, like feelings, support, or criticism.
Exemples
- The company faced a tidal wave of complaints after the price increase.
- Her performance brought a tidal wave of support from fans around the world.
- The scandal set off a tidal wave of anger across social media.