wave

The word “wave” means a moving ridge on the surface of water, especially the sea. In plain terms, either the moving ridges on water, a hand gesture, or a sudden surge of something.

“Wave” is pronounced wayv (/weɪv/ in IPA).

Here is “wave” used in a sentence: “Big waves crashed against the rocks during the storm.”

Depending on how it is used, “wave” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “wave” comes from Old English. From Old English wafian ("to wave, to waver"), tracing back to a very old root meaning "to move to and fro.".

“Wave” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Wave” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a moving ridge on the surface of water, especially the sea.

Most ocean waves are created by wind blowing across the water's surface, transferring energy that lifts the water into moving ridges. The stronger and longer the wind blows, and the greater the distance it covers, the bigger the waves. Larger waves like tsunamis are instead caused by earthquakes or underwater disturbances.

A wave is a single moving ridge on the water's surface, usually driven by wind and arriving every few seconds. A tide is the slow, daily rise and fall of the whole sea, caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. Waves are local and quick; tides are global and gradual.

Common types include wind waves, raised by the breeze; swell, which are smooth waves that have travelled far from their source; and breakers, which curl and collapse near the shore. Tsunamis are a separate, far more powerful kind, triggered by earthquakes or landslides rather than wind.