Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

continental shelf

noun

Definition of continental shelf

  1. :  a shallow submarine plain of varying width forming a border to a continent and typically ending in a comparatively steep slope to the deep ocean floor

See continental shelf defined for English-language learners

See continental shelf defined for kids

Read the Latest from M-W

image698129811
Different Ways to Say 'Nude'
video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066
alt-596f7d8840dd5
Trending: Trend Watch: 'Admiral's Mast' & A Mystery At Sea
alt-596f730ceb5ae
Words We're Watching: 'Scoby'

Illustration of continental shelf

First Known Use of continental shelf

1892

CONTINENTAL SHELF Defined for English Language Learners

continental shelf

noun

Definition of continental shelf for English Language Learners

  • : the part of a continent that lies under the ocean and slopes down to the ocean floor

Learn More about continental shelf

  1. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about continental shelf

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up continental shelf? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

crucible

play

a severe test

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. admiral's mast A massive search ends with an 'admiral's mast'.

  2. calumny 'An untrue statement that is made to damage someone's reputation'

  3. kakistocracy Frustrated Twitter users have been searching for this word.

  4. bona fide Made in good faith

  5. surrogate mother From TMZ to the dictionary.

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

continental shelf

Test Your Vocabulary

The Emoji Quiz

  • emoji-the-quiz
  • What phase of the moon is this: 🌖 ?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-596f730ceb5ae
Words We're Watching: 'Scoby'

Kombucha lovers unite.

alt-596e1a928254c
Words We're Watching: 'Fidget Spinner'

Don't fight the fad

alt-5956722528373
A Nun's 'Habit' & A Mini-Skirt

They have more in common than you might think.

alt-596cccb141873
Our Verdict on 'Judgy'

Will word nerds judge you for this?

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

emoji-the-quiz
The Emoji Quiz

Think you’re an emoji 👓 expert? Let’s see 🤔

Take the quiz
image941935269
A Game of Thrones Word Quiz

In the Game of Thrones quiz, you learn some new vocabulary. (It’s quite safe, really. You will not die.)

Take the quiz
True or False
True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz
Add Diction
Add Diction

Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.

Play the game