IJsselmeer, a large lake in the north of the Netherlands, was once a freshwater sea known as the Zuiderzee. As such, there are many synonyms for the word IJsselmeer that reflect its past and present. Some of the most common synonyms for IJsselmeer include Gouwzee, Markermeer, Zuiderzee, and Waddenzee. The Gouwzee refers to the part of the IJsselmeer that borders the towns of Monnickendam and Volendam, while the Markermeer is the section of the IJsselmeer located northwest of Amsterdam. The Zuiderzee is the former name of the IJsselmeer, while the Waddenzee is the coastal area along the northern edge of the lake that connects it to the North Sea.