Definition of ocean
1a : the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the surface of the earthb : 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
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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 of ocean from the Web
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That action is even more urgent now that climate change is causing ocean temperatures to rise while waters also become more acidic, causing widespread destruction of coral reefs that sustain a quarter of all marine species.
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The hurricane center has rules governing if a storm gets to keep its same name in a new ocean, however.
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To be sure, projecting naval power across oceans often means aircraft carriers.
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And given how ubiquitous the toxins are the ocean, scientists wonder whether other organisms make these chemicals too.
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That ocean effect often moderates the weather, McAndrew said, with less chance for extreme high and low temperatures.
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A strong high-pressure system over the Gulf of Mexico provided a persistent westerly flow over Miami, which offset any cool ocean breeze that typically develops.
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Starting around 4.5 million years ago, giant blue whales were popping up in oceans across the world alongside giant bowhead whales and giant fin whales.
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At the time, wind began pushing surface waters off-shore, forcing deeper ocean waters underneath surface waters to replace it.
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.
Origin and Etymology of ocean
Middle English occean, from Anglo-French, from Latin oceanus, from Greek Ōkeanos, a river thought of as encircling the earth, ocean
First Known Use: 14th century
OCEAN Defined for English Language Learners
ocean
playDefinition of ocean for English Language Learners
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: the salt water that covers much of the Earth's surface
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: one of the five large areas of salt water that cover much of the Earth's surface
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: a very large number or amount of something
OCEAN Defined for Kids
ocean
playDefinition of ocean for Students
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
Learn More about ocean
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See words that rhyme with ocean Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ocean Spanish Central: Translation of ocean Nglish: Translation of ocean for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ocean for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ocean
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