sea Meaning, Definition & Usage

Sea noun

Etymology

OE. see, AS. s&aemac;; akin to D. zee, OS. & OHG. seo, G. see, OFries. se, Dan. sö, Sw. sjö, Icel. sær, Goth. saiws, and perhaps to L. saevus firce, savage. &root; 151 a.

Definitions

1. One of the larger bodies of salt water, less than an ocean, found on the earth's surface; a body of salt water of second rank, generally forming part of, or connecting with, an ocean or a larger sea; as, the Mediterranean Sea; the Sea of Marmora; the North Sea; the Carribean Sea.
2. An inland body of water, esp. if large or if salt or brackish; as, the Caspian Sea; the Sea of Aral; sometimes, a small fresh-water lake; as, the Sea of Galilee.
3. The ocean; the whole body of the salt water which covers a large part of the globe.

   I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. Shak.

   Ambiguous between sea and land The river horse and scaly crocodile. Milton.

4. The swell of the ocean or other body of water in a high wind; motion of the water's surface; also, a single wave; a billow; as, there was a high sea after the storm; the vessel shipped a sea.
5. (Jewish Antiq.) A great brazen laver in the temple at Jerusalem; -- so called from its size.

   He made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof. 2 Chron. iv. 2.

6. Fig.: Anything resembling the sea in vastness; as, a sea of glory. Shak.

   All the space . . . was one sea of heads. Macaulay.

   ✍ Sea is often used in the composition of words of obvious signification; as, sea-bathed, sea-beaten, sea-bound, sea-bred, sea-circled, sealike, sea-nursed, sea-tossed, sea-walled, sea-worn, and the like. It is also used either adjectively or in combination with substantives; as, sea bird, sea-bird, or seabird, sea acorn, or sea-acorn.