Cove
/koʊv/noun
A small sheltered bay or inlet, or a secluded place.
Did you know?Cove is ultimately related to a family of words meaning “to cover,” so the idea of a cove is literally a place that is covered or enclosed by land.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*keu̯p-
“to cover, hide”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kōpōną
“to cover, enclose”
Old English
OE
cofa
“a chamber, den, or small enclosed space”
Middle English
ME
cove
“a recess, hollow, or sheltered place”
Modern English
English
cove
“a small sheltered bay or inlet”