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ocean

noun, often attributive
\ ˈō-shən How to pronounce ocean (audio) \

Definition of ocean

1a : the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the surface of the earth
b : any of the large bodies of water (such as the Atlantic Ocean) into which the great ocean is divided
2 : a very large or unlimited space or quantity
Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about ocean

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Examples of ocean in a Sentence

We've sailed across hundreds of miles of ocean. the Pacific and Indian oceans

Recent Examples on the Web

 On the West End, a golf course spectacularly sited above the ocean lies overgrown and abandoned, its once-expensive landscaping of coconut palms now leafless and dead from lack of irrigation. — Wade Graham, Smithsonian, "Why Molokai, With All Its Wonders, Is the Least Developed of Hawai’i’s Islands," 31 Aug. 2019 The specter of a hurricane lingering off the coast reminded many residents of Category 3 Hurricane Jeanne in 2004, which sat in the ocean near the shores of Martin, Palm Beach and nearby counties for more than 24 hours. — Washington Post, "Florida’s Atlantic Coast is preparing for a direct hit from Hurricane Dorian," 30 Aug. 2019 The remaining six whales were refloated to the ocean but stranded again, Schofield said. — Time, "Five Whales Died After a Mass Stranding on a Beach in Hawaii," 30 Aug. 2019 What about cooling the ocean or seeding storms with silver hydroscopic particles? — Harmeet Kaur, CNN, "Your questions about Hurricane Dorian, answered," 30 Aug. 2019 Freshwater flooding If Dorian stays further east, the heaviest rain could remain over the ocean. — Dave Epstein, BostonGlobe.com, "Hurricane Dorian: What the latest forecast says," 30 Aug. 2019 The ocean does that to a person; the beach repairs us. — Los Angeles Times, "‘Burning Man in the South Bay’: A crazy beach party aglow with bonfires and tradition," 29 Aug. 2019 Greenhouse gases like methane heat up the atmosphere, and as much as 90 percent of that excess heat is absorbed by the oceans. — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, "What Is Methane, Anyway?," 29 Aug. 2019 Across the solar system, at least, more water probably exists as superionic ice — filling the interiors of Uranus and Neptune — than in any other phase, including the liquid form sloshing in oceans on Earth, Europa and Enceladus. — Quanta Magazine, "Black, Hot Ice May Be Nature’s Most Common Form of Water," 27 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ocean.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of ocean

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for ocean

Middle English occean "the sea flowing around the land mass of the known world," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin Ōceanus, borrowed from Greek Ōkeanós, probably of pre-Greek substratal origin

Note: Preserved variants of Greek Ōkeanós, as Ōgḗn, Ōgenós, Ōgēnós, may indicate that the velar stop, whatever its original voicing, was palatalized (hence *ūkʸān-?)—strongly suggesting non-Indo-European origin. Old attempts to find an Indo-European origin (as a comparison with Sanskrit ā-śayāna- "lying on") are unconvincing.

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More Definitions for ocean

ocean

noun
How to pronounce ocean (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of ocean

: the salt water that covers much of the Earth's surface
: one of the five large areas of salt water that cover much of the Earth's surface
informal : a very large number or amount of something

See the full definition for ocean in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ocean

noun
\ ˈō-shən How to pronounce ocean (audio) \

Kids Definition of ocean

1 : the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the earth
2 : one of the large bodies of water into which the larger body that covers the earth is divided

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