ENGLISH
REFERENCE

WAVES

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈweɪvz// UK //wˈeɪvz// waves Archaic

n. moving lines of water on the surface of the ocean or a lake. You also use this word for the way light, sound, or heat travels through the air.

n. raised masses of water on the surface of a body of water, typically caused by wind or geological activity. In physics, it refers to the periodic disturbance of a medium or field that transfers energy without transferring matter.


SIMPLE

The children played in the small waves at the beach.

CONTEXTUAL

Surfers gathered at the shore early in the morning to catch the largest waves before the wind changed direction.

COMPLEX

The coastal town implemented new sea walls to protect its infrastructure from the increasingly powerful waves generated by seasonal storms and rising sea levels.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used in the plural when referring to the sea; used as a singular countable noun in physics to describe a specific oscillation.

Idioms1 entry

© 2026 English Reference