ocean

noun

ˈō-shən 

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

Synonyms

• blue
• brine
• deep
• Neptune
• sea
• seven seas

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

Hike through the wilderness, hop in a kayak, scuba dive to shipwrecks and underwater sea caves (Lake Superior really does look and feel more like an ocean), and explore the lighthouses. —Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024

With many vintage vessels, both power and sail, now part of the global charter fleet, a growing number of charter clients are considering immersing themselves in the rich, wood interiors, eating at formal dining tables with 1930s china, or gazing out at the ocean from deck-chairs. —Chloe Braithwaite, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2024

Found in tropical and temperate oceans, the sharks can grow up to 12 feet long and can live for three decades, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024

This is an adage that applies to much of the life eking out an existence in the crushing depths of our oceans. —Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024

The Cove is where concert fans can attend panel discussions by environmentalists, pro surfers, conservationists and researchers to learn about protecting and preserving the ocean and the beaches, as well as a variety of other charitable causes and volunteer efforts. —Holly Alvarado, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2024

With less ice covering the surface of the Earth, less sunlight is reflected into space and more heat is absorbed by the ocean, land, and atmosphere, magnifying the warming effect. —Kelly Sims Gallagher, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

Tropical storms can also pick up more energy in the form of heat from warming oceans. —Justine Calma, The Verge, 23 Apr. 2024

Little said the plane sank and divers went into the ocean to mark its location, but no attempt was made to salvage the plane, which the FAA said was manufactured in 1981. —Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024

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

Phrases Containing ocean

• a drop in the ocean
• inter-ocean
• mid-ocean ridge
• ocean perch
• ocean sunfish
• open ocean

Kids Definition

ocean

noun

ˈō-shən 

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