Ocean
|o-cean|
🇺🇸
/ˈoʊʃən/
🇬🇧
/ˈəʊʃən/
vast body of water
Etymology
'ocean' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'oceanus', which in turn comes from Greek 'ōkeanos' meaning 'a great river or sea (often the world-encircling river)'.
'ocean' changed from Latin 'oceanus' and Old French forms like 'occean' into Middle English 'occean' and eventually became the modern English word 'ocean'.
Initially, it referred to the mythic or very large river/sea encircling the world; over time it came to mean the large bodies of salt water surrounding Earth's landmasses and, by metaphor, 'a very large amount'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a very large continuous body of salt water that covers much of the Earth's surface (e.g., the Pacific Ocean).
Ocean water covers about 71% of Earth's surface.
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Noun 2
a very large amount of something used figuratively (e.g., an ocean of information).
Ocean of grief overwhelmed her after the loss.
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Adjective 1
used attributively to describe something relating to the ocean (note: 'oceanic' is the usual adjective form).
Ocean currents influence global climate patterns.
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Last updated: 2025/12/04 15:33