noun
ocean
OH-shuhn
noun
1
One of the huge bodies of salt water that cover most of the Earth's surface.
"They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean."
"Marine life thrives in the deepest parts of the ocean."
2
A vast, seemingly endless expanse of something.
"She stared out at an ocean of desks in the exam hall."
How to Use Ocean
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA vast body of salt water, or figuratively, a huge amount of something.
Common pairings
across the ocean
ocean floor
an ocean of
Word Forms
oceans plural
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Etymology
From Old French occean, from Latin Oceanus, from Greek Okeanos, the name of a primordial sea god who was believed to encircle the world.