ocean

The word “ocean” means one of the huge bodies of salt water that cover most of the Earth's surface. In plain terms, a vast body of salt water, or figuratively, a huge amount of something.

“Ocean” is pronounced OH-shuhn (/ˈoʊ.ʃən/ in IPA).

Here is “ocean” used in a sentence: “They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.”

“Ocean” is a noun.

The word “ocean” comes from Latin. From Old French occean, from Latin Oceanus, from Greek Okeanos, the name of a primordial sea god who was believed to encircle the world.

“Ocean” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Ocean” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: one of the huge bodies of salt water that cover most of the Earth's surface.

An ocean is one of the vast, deep bodies of salt water that cover most of the planet, while a sea is smaller and shallower, usually partly enclosed by land. Seas often sit where ocean meets a coastline — the Mediterranean and Caribbean are seas within the wider ocean system.

Geographers now recognise five oceans: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Southern (or Antarctic), and the Arctic. The Pacific is by far the largest and deepest, while the Arctic is the smallest and coldest. Together they form one continuous body of water often called the world ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is the largest, covering roughly a third of the Earth's surface — bigger than all the land combined. It is also the deepest, containing the Mariana Trench, the lowest known point on Earth. The Atlantic ranks second, followed by the Indian, Southern, and Arctic oceans.

Oceans regulate the planet's climate by storing and moving heat, produce a large share of the oxygen we breathe through marine plants, and absorb carbon dioxide. They also support billions of living things, drive weather and rainfall, and provide food, trade routes, and livelihoods for people worldwide.