plural oceans
often attributive
1
a
: the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the surface of the earth
The ocean covers most of our planet, regulates our weather and climate, absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide, provides most of our oxygen, and feeds much of the human population.—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
b
: any of the large bodies of water into which the mass of salt water covering most of the earth is divided
the oceans of the world
2
: a very large or unlimited quantity or expanse
Could have made oceans of money.—James Joyce
He would have oceans of time for his ride.—P. G. Wodehouse
Jutting from an ocean of prairie, they [the Sangre de Cristo mountains] run north-south like an iguana spine …—Skiing
Cite this Entry
“Ocean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocean. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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