OCEAN

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("ocean" is a kind of...):

body of water; water (the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean))

Domain member category:

body of water; water (the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean))

shore (the land along the edge of a body of water)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ocean"):

deep (literary term for an ocean)

Instance hyponyms:

Antarctic Ocean (the southern waters surrounding Antarctica)

Arctic Ocean (ice covered waters surrounding the North Pole; mostly covered with solid ice or with ice floes and icebergs)

Atlantic; Atlantic Ocean (the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east)

Indian Ocean (the 3rd largest ocean; bounded by Africa on the west, Asia on the north, Australia on the east and merging with the Antarctic Ocean to the south)

Pacific; Pacific Ocean (the largest ocean in the world)

Holonyms ("ocean" is a part of...):

hydrosphere (the watery layer of the earth's surface; includes water vapor)

Derivation:

oceanic (constituting or living in the open sea)

oceanic (relating to or occurring or living in or frequenting the open ocean)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Anything apparently limitless in quantity or volume

Synonyms:

ocean; sea

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("ocean" is a kind of...):

large indefinite amount; large indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is above the average in size or magnitude)

Derivation:

oceanic (resembling the ocean in apparent limitlessness in extent or degree)

Credits

Context examples:

Microorganisms play important roles in the health and protection of coral reefs, but exploring these roles can be difficult because of the lack of unspoiled reef systems throughout the global ocean.

(Microbes reflect the health of coral reefs, National Science Foundation)

“If we could pull the plug on the oceans, it would be clear to everybody that we have mountain chains and a big, high-standing continent,” he told TVNZ.

(Researchers Argue for Eighth Continent: Zealandia, VOA)

During June, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.58°F (0.88°C) above the 20th century average.

(June 2015 was warmest June on record for the globe, NOAA)

They found that Greenland's glaciers flowing into the ocean are grounded deeper below sea level than previously measured.

(The Hidden Meltdown of Greenland, NASA)

Without them, glacial ice enters the ocean faster and accelerates the pace of global sea level rise.

(Antarctica’s Larsen B Ice Shelf Nearing Its Final Act, NASA)

Diatoms are one of the most abundant, widely distributed primary producers in the ocean.

(Diatom, NOAA Paleoclimate Glossary)

Crystalline calcium carbonate found in ocean sediments, usually derived from continental weathering of carbonate rock.

(Detrital carbonate, NOAA Paleoclimate Glossary)

Layer of seawater containing a high concentration of suspended sediment that may reach heights of several hundred meters above the ocean floor.

(Nepheloid layer, NOAA Paleoclimate Glossary)

Marine zooplankton that passively float or weakly swim, and have calcium carbonate skeletons that are present in large numbers on the surface of the ocean.

(Planktonic Foraminifera, NOAA Paleoclimate Glossary)

WMO notes warmer than average temperatures dominated across much of the world’s land and ocean surfaces during November.