sea

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noun \ ˈsē \

Definition of sea

1 a :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 bodies

the Caspian Sea

2 a :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 :³mare

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sea

adjective

— 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

See sea defined for English-language learners

See sea defined for kids

Examples of sea in a Sentence

the seas of the Southern Hemisphere
millions of plants and animals live in the sea

Recent Examples of sea from the Web

The disenfranchisement of Rohingya in the 2015 election, and a regional crackdown on human trafficking that cut off an escape by sea also left Myanmar’s Rohingya feeling boxed in.

— Washington Post, "AP Explains: A look at the insurgency behind Myanmar attacks," 31 Aug. 2017
The other hurricanes so far this season are Franklin, which hit Mexico, and Gert, which stayed at sea.

— leigh morgan, AL.com, "Tropical Storm Harvey could hit Texas again," 28 Aug. 2017
A body recovered at sea was later determined not to be a McCain sailor.

— jeanette steele, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Bodies of 10 missing USS McCain sailors found inside ship," 28 Aug. 2017
Whales spouted, dolphins broke the water, pelicans skimmed, terns dove, and sea lions spun all around me.

— maria finn, Longreads, "Can Love Sparked at Burning Man Last in Everyday Life?," 28 Aug. 2017
Bodies float in the sea, on the horizon, a flotilla of American ships appears.

— thomas erdbrink, New York Times, "As ‘Death to America’ Chants Lose Power, Iran Retools Propaganda With Rap Videos," 26 Aug. 2017
The discovery of more bodies on Mont Blanc — the highest mountain in the Alps, rising 4,810 meters (15,781 feet) above sea level — was just the latest of long-missing remains found this summer.

— colleen barry, chicagotribune.com, "Melting Mont Blanc glacier yields remains of dead hikers in Italy," 25 Aug. 2017
Altitude affects everyone differently People who live at higher elevations are less likely to get altitude sickness during a hiking or ski trip in the mountains than those who live at sea level.

— Health.com, "The Dangers of Altitude Sickness—What to Know About the Condition That Killed a 20-Year-Old Colorado Hiker," 24 Aug. 2017
Add the tomato purée, whole onion, whole garlic cloves and a teaspoon of sea salt.

— nancy miller, The Courier-Journal, "Recipes from At The Italian Table make you 'sit up and pay attention'," 22 Aug. 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of sea

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

sea Synonyms

Synonyms

blue, brine, deep, Neptune, ocean, seven seas

Related Words

blue water, high seas, main, waters; basin; Davy Jones's locker, depths

Other Oceanography Terms

littoral, sound

SEA Defined for English Language Learners

sea

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noun

Definition of sea for English Language Learners

: the salt water that covers much of the Earth's surface ( literary )
: 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