ocean
- 01 A2 Elementary
one of the five huge areas of salt water on Earth, like the Atlantic or Pacific.
one of the major bodies of salt water into which the global hydrosphere is divided.
Simple“The ship spent two weeks crossing the Atlantic Ocean during the summer.”
In context“Marine biologists are concerned that rising temperatures in the Southern Ocean could disrupt the migratory patterns of several whale species.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a very large amount or a huge space of something.
an immense expanse or a vast quantity of something, often used figuratively.
Simple“Looking out from the mountain top, he saw an ocean of green trees.”
In context“The candidate faced an ocean of criticism following the publication of the controversial report on urban planning.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
in ancient Greek stories, the great river that people believed flowed around the world.
the personification of the world-river in Greek mythology, often referred to as Oceanus.
Simple“Ancient maps often showed Ocean as a river circling the entire earth.”
In context“In Homeric epic, Ocean is depicted not as a sea, but as the generative source of all gods and rivers.”
Synonymsoceanus
Usage ocean surface · ocean temperatures · ocean currents
From Middle English *ocean, occean, occian, occyan, from Old French occean (later reborrowed or reinforced by Middle French ocean), from Latin Ōceanus, originally from Ancient Greek Ὠκεανός (Ōkeanós, “Oceanus”, a water deity). Displaced native Old English gārseċġ. Also commonly referred to as the ocean sea, the sea of ocean (compare Latin mare ōceanum; Old French mer oceane, occeanne mer). Compare Saterland Frisian Oceoan (“ocean”), West Frisian oseaan (“ocean”), Dutch oceaan (“ocean”), German Low German Ozeaan (“ocean”), German Ozean (“ocean”), Danish ocean (“ocean”), Swedish ocean (“ocean”), French océan (“ocean”), Italian oceano (“ocean”). Doublet of Oceanus/Okeanos.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.