plural oceans
often attributive
1
a
: the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the surface of the earth
The ocean covers most of our planet, regulates our weather and climate, absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide, provides most of our oxygen, and feeds much of the human population.National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
b
: any of the large bodies of water into which the great ocean is divided
the oceans of the world
2
: a very large or unlimited quantity or expanse
Could have made oceans of money.James Joyce
He would have oceans of time for his ride.P. G. Wodehouse
Jutting from an ocean of prairie, they [the Sangre de Cristo mountains] run north-south like an iguana spine …Skiing

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 These magical encounters happen in an under-the-radar SoCal wildlife hot spot: the Santa Barbara Channel, an expanse of ocean sandwiched between the Santa Barbara County coastline and Channel Islands National Park. Michael Charboneau, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 So, no radioactive reptiles that happen to crawl out of the ocean would be strong enough to destroy a city. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024 To achieve that, engineering oceanographer Daniel Harrison from Southern Cross University and his team fitted a research vessel with a turbine to pump water out of the ocean. Sabrina Weiss, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 And last week, the tennis star celebrated her 20th birthday with a jump into the ocean. Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 Situated on distinctive Prospect Street, atop the bluffs with views of the ocean and La Jolla Cove, the location is prime for exploring beaches and local businesses. Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024 True to its name, the property has two types of bungalows, waterfront or garden, that come with outdoor soaking tubs with views of the ocean or lush tropical plants. Cynthia J Drake, Southern Living, 19 Mar. 2024 As the Kolkata sought the surrender of the pirates, the commandos parachuted in after a 10-hour flight from India, the air force said on X. Rafts were also dropped into the ocean from the large transport for marines to reach the Ruen. Brad Lendon, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 Homeowners can opt for an abode that’s either oriented towards the ocean or the Grand Lucayan Waterway. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ocean.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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.

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ocean was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ocean

Cite this Entry

“Ocean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocean. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ocean

noun
1
: the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the surface of the earth
2
: one of the large bodies of water into which the ocean is divided
oceanic
ˌō-shē-ˈan-ik
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on ocean

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