sea

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   A large body of salt water, smaller than an ocean and often partly enclosed by land.

   Grammar: Can be countable (a sea) or uncountable (the sea). Often used with the definite article.

   Patterns

   • the sea
   • a sea
   • by the sea
   • in the sea

   The Mediterranean Sea is almost completely surrounded by land.

   We spent the afternoon swimming in the sea.

   The house has a beautiful view of the sea.

2. 2noununcountable

   The salt water covering most of the Earth's surface; the ocean.

   Grammar: Used with the definite article: the sea. Not used with a/an in this sense.

   Patterns

   • the sea
   • at sea
   • on the sea

   Many sailors spend months at sea.

   The sea was calm and blue.

   Pollution is harming life in the sea.

3. 3nouncountablefigurative

   A large number or quantity of something, especially something that covers an area.

   Grammar: Often used in the phrase a sea of something.

   Patterns

   • a sea of something

   A sea of faces looked up at the stage.

   The field was a sea of yellow flowers.

Word forms

Common combinations

by the sea

They live in a small cottage by the sea.

at sea

The ship was lost at sea.

sea level

Global warming is causing sea levels to rise.

deep sea

Deep sea creatures live in total darkness.

sea breeze

A cool sea breeze blew across the beach.

Synonyms and how they differ

ocean

A very large body of salt water; oceans are larger than seas and not enclosed by land.

waters

A more formal or literary term for a body of water, often used in legal or geographical contexts.

Opposites

Word family

seaside noun

The area next to the sea, especially a holiday resort.

seafaring adjective

Relating to traveling by sea.

seafood noun

Shellfish and sea fish eaten as food.

Commonly confused: sea or see? sea or C?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sea”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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