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sea

noun
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\ ˈsē How to pronounce sea (audio) \

Definition of sea

1a : a great body of salt water that covers much of the earth broadly : the waters of the earth as distinguished from the land and air
b : a body of salt water of second rank more or less landlocked the Mediterranean sea
c : ocean
d : an inland body of water —used especially for names of such bodiesthe Caspian Sea
2a : surface motion on a large body of water or its direction also : a large swell or wave —often used in plural heavy seas
b : the disturbance of the ocean or other body of water due to the wind
3 : something likened to the sea especially in vastness a sea of faces
4 : the seafaring life
5 : mare entry 2
at sea
1 : on the sea specifically : on a sea voyage
2 : lost, bewildered
to sea
: to or on the open waters of the sea
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Other Words from sea

sea adjective

Examples of sea in a Sentence

the seas of the Southern Hemisphere millions of plants and animals live in the sea
Recent Examples on the Web This seven-night cruise begins in Port Canaveral, Florida aboard the Disney Fantasy and includes four destinations and three days at sea. — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, "12 Amazing Cruises You Can Book Now for 2021," 31 May 2020 Wildfires and hotter temperatures kickstart sea-ice melt sooner. — Jake Rudnitsky, Bloomberg.com, "Arctic Heatwave Is Reigniting Siberian Tinderbox," 26 May 2020 In 2008, the Interior Department declared the polar bear a threatened species because of the loss of Arctic sea ice. — BostonGlobe.com, "This day in history," 14 May 2020 There is currently debate among scientists as to whether changes in the jet stream can be linked to climate change, specifically to the decline in sea ice in the Arctic Ocean that has contributed to rapid warming in that region. — Maria Cramer, New York Times, "Say a Brief Goodbye to the Nice Weather," 7 May 2020 If sea-ice concentration is high, then the abundance and concentration of baleen whales’ prey is also high—meaning a buffet for the whales. — Heather Hansman, Outside Online, "Searching for the World's Most Endangered Whale," 27 Apr. 2020 The amount of summer sea ice in the Arctic has been steadily shrinking over the past few decades because of global warming. — Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, "Arctic will see ice-free summers by 2050 as globe warms, study says," 23 Apr. 2020 Tiny pieces of microplastic, especially microfibers, have been found in samples from rivers, lakes, ocean water, and even arctic sea ice. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, "6 sustainability tips for Earth Day," 22 Apr. 2020 By the mid-2030s, Arctic summers may be mostly free of sea ice. — Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, "Fifty Things We’ve Learned About the Earth Since the First Earth Day," 22 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sea.' 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 sea

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for sea

Middle English see, from Old English sǣ; akin to Old High German sē sea, Goth saiws

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Time Traveler for sea

Time Traveler

The first known use of sea was before the 12th century

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Statistics for sea

Last Updated

3 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Sea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sea. Accessed 3 Jun. 2020.

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More Definitions for sea

sea

noun
How to pronounce sea (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of sea

: the salt water that covers much of the Earth's surface
: a large body of water that is part of the sea or that has land around part or all of it
: an area of the sea

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

sea

noun
\ ˈsē How to pronounce sea (audio) \

Kids Definition of sea

1 : a body of salt water not as large as an ocean and often nearly surrounded by land
2 : ocean sense 1
3 : rough water A high sea swept the deck.
4 : something suggesting a sea's great size or depth The speaker looked out on a sea of faces.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sea

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sea

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with sea

Spanish Central: Translation of sea

Nglish: Translation of sea for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of sea for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sea

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