'nearshore' originates from the combination of 'near' and 'shore', where 'near' meant 'close to' and 'shore' referred to the land along the edge of a sea, lake, or other large body of water.

'nearshore' evolved from the Old English word 'neah' meaning 'near' and 'scor' meaning 'shore', eventually becoming the modern English word 'nearshore'.

Initially, it meant 'close to the shore', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.