ocean
pronunciation
How to pronounce ocean in British English:
UK [ˈəʊʃn]
How to pronounce ocean in American English:
US [ˈoʊʃn]
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- Noun:
- a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
- anything apparently limitless in quantity or volume
Word Origin
- ocean
- ocean: [13] In Greek mythology, ōkeanós was a great river or sea that completely encircled the world. This was personified as Ōkeanós, a Titan who was god of this outer sea. The name passed into English via Latin ōceanus and Old French occean, and to begin with was used only for this mythical sea, or for the whole body of water surrounding the Eurasian landmass, with which it was identified. Not until the end of the 14th century did it begin to be applied to large individual sections of the Earth’s seas.
- ocean (n.)
- late 13c., from Old French occean "ocean" (12c., Modern French océan), from Latin oceanus, from Greek okeanos, the great river or sea surrounding the disk of the Earth (as opposed to the Mediterranean), of unknown origin. Personified as Oceanus, son of Uranus and Gaia and husband of Tethys. In early times, when the only known land masses were Eurasia and Africa, the ocean was an endless river that flowed around them. Until c. 1650, commonly ocean sea, translating Latin mare oceanum. Application to individual bodies of water began 14c.; there are usually reckoned to be five of them, but this is arbitrary; also occasionally applied to smaller subdivisions, such as German Ocean "North Sea."
Example
- 1. The ship was drifting on the ocean .
- 2. Somalia 's lawlessness led to piracy across the indian ocean .
- 3. Cons : swimming in the ocean is not safe .
- 4. Roughly 30 % of the ocean is so covered .
- 5. Swim in the ocean . Plant a garden .