cove: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Descriptive, literary, geographical, or informal (UK, dated).
Quick answer
What does “cove” mean?
A small, sheltered bay or inlet on the coast.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, sheltered bay or inlet on the coast.
1) A sheltered nook or recess. 2) (Chiefly British, informal, dated) A man; a fellow. 3) (Architecture) A concave molding or arched section of a wall, especially where a wall meets a ceiling.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The informal noun sense meaning 'a man' (e.g., 'a rum cove') is exclusively British and dated. The geographical and architectural senses are shared.
Connotations
In British informal use, it could imply a somewhat suspicious or particular character, especially in older slang (e.g., 'a shady cove'). In American English, it carries no such connotation, being purely geographical/architectural.
Frequency
The geographical term is moderately low frequency in both varieties, used in descriptive contexts. The informal British sense is very low frequency and archaic.
Grammar
How to Use “cove” in a Sentence
The [ADJECTIVE] coveCove of [PLACE NAME]in a/the coveanchor in the coveVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cove” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The river coves inland just before reaching the sea.
- (Architectural) They decided to cove the ceiling edges for a softer look.
American English
- The shoreline coves gently here, creating a perfect spot for kayaks.
- The designer coves the plaster where the wall meets the ceiling.
adverb
British English
- Not standard.
American English
- Not standard.
adjective
British English
- The cove ceiling added a touch of elegance to the room.
- (Rare) They anchored in the cove harbour.
American English
- They installed cove lighting along the perimeter of the ceiling.
- The house featured a beautiful cove molding.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially in tourism marketing (e.g., 'hotel in a secluded cove').
Academic
Used in geography, geology, and environmental studies to describe coastal features.
Everyday
Used in travel descriptions, holiday stories, and nature writing.
Technical
Used in maritime navigation, architecture (for a concave molding), and coastal engineering.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cove”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cove”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cove”
- Pronouncing it like 'clove' (/kləʊv/). It has no 'l'.
- Using it to describe a very large bay (e.g., the Bay of Biscay is not a cove).
- Overusing the archaic British slang in modern contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not a high-frequency everyday word. It is common in descriptive writing about coasts, geography, and travel, but less common in general conversation.
Yes, but it is specialized. As a transitive verb, it means to arch or shape into a concave form, common in architecture and woodworking (e.g., 'to cove a molding'). As an intransitive verb (rare), it can describe a coastline forming a cove.
A cove is a small type of bay. It is typically more circular, more sheltered, and has a narrower entrance than a bay. Think of a cove as a cosy, recessed niche within a larger coastline.
No, it is considered very old-fashioned or archaic. You might encounter it in historical novels or films set in the 19th or early 20th century, but it is not part of modern colloquial British English.
A small, sheltered bay or inlet on the coast.
Cove is usually descriptive, literary, geographical, or informal (uk, dated). in register.
Cove: in British English it is pronounced /kəʊv/, and in American English it is pronounced /koʊv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable for this word's primary senses.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a COVE as a COzy nook in the coastline where you can HOVE (past tense of heave) to with your boat.
Conceptual Metaphor
A COVE IS A SHELTER (from the sea/wind). A COVE IS A HIDING PLACE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'cove' LEAST likely to be used?