breakwater

Plural: breakwaters

Noun

• a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away
• A construction in or around a harbour designed to break the force of the sea and to provide shelter for vessels lying inside.
• A low bulkhead across the forecastle deck of a ship which diverts water breaking over the bows into the scuppers.
• A wooden or concrete barrier, usually perpendicular to the shore, intended to prevent the movement of sand along a coast.

Synonyms

bulwark, groin, groyne, jetty, mole, seawall