sea
sea
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling:
/siː/
Here's the breakdown of the sound for its single syllable:
/s/ - a voiceless alveolar fricative (as in "snake")
/iː/ - a long close front unrounded vowel (as in "fleece")
Word Form Variations
The word "sea" is primarily a noun. It does not have typical singular/plural variations in the same way count nouns do, as it often refers to a continuous body of water. However, it can be used in a plural sense when referring to multiple specific bodies of water or waves:
Singular: sea (e.g., "the deep blue sea")
Plural: seas (e.g., "the Seven Seas," "rough seas")
It can also function as part of a compound noun (e.g., "sea level," "sea bass") or idiomatically.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: The expanse of salt water that covers most of the Earth's surface and surrounds its landmasses, often considered distinct from a particular ocean or lake.
Synonyms: ocean, brine, deep, main
Antonyms: land, desert, continent
Definition: A specific, often named, area of oceanic water that is partially enclosed by land or defined by currents.
Synonyms: gulf, bay, sound, strait
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a specific body of water, but can be contrasted with terrestrial features like) mountain range, forest
Definition: A vast, overwhelming, or tumultuous quantity of something, often used metaphorically.
Example: "a sea of troubles," "a sea of faces"
Synonyms: deluge, flood, multitude, abundance
Antonyms: scarcity, dearth, lack, trickle
Examples of Use
Books:
"He could see the distant glimmer of the sea from his bedroom window, a silver line beneath the horizon." (From The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939)
"Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can." (From Moby Dick by Herman Melville, 1851)
Newspapers:
"Concerns are growing about the rising sea levels threatening coastal communities worldwide." ( The New York Times)
"Fishermen in the North Sea reported a record catch of cod this season." ( The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Exploring the unique biodiversity found in the deep sea remains a frontier for scientific discovery." ( National Geographic online)
"The article discusses the economic impact of offshore wind farms on the local communities near the Irish Sea." ( Renewable Energy World)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Captain Jack Sparrow battles the Kraken in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, a monstrous creature from the depths of the sea." (Released July 2006)
Television Series: "The final episode showed the protagonist sailing off into the open sea, leaving their past behind." (From Game of Thrones, May 2019)
Music: "I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky." (From the poem "Sea-Fever" by John Masefield, set to music by various artists)
Video Game: "Players embark on epic voyages across vast and perilous seas in the adventure game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag." (Released October 2013)
General Public Discourse:
"I really miss living by the sea; the sound of the waves is so calming." (Spoken in a conversation)
"The local community group organized a beach cleanup to remove plastic from the sea." (Heard at a community meeting)
"After a long week, all I want to do is sit by the sea and relax." (Shared on social media)
10 Quotes Using Sea
"The sea is an untamed beast, and no man can truly conquer her." (Attributed to various sailors and authors)
"I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky." (John Masefield, "Sea-Fever")
"Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean—roll! Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain; Man marks the earth with ruin—his control Stops with the shore; upon the watery plain The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain A shadow of that which was so sea-born." (Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage)
"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." (Isak Dinesen)
"A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor." (African Proverb)
"He who controls the sea controls everything." (Themistocles)
"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came." (John F. Kennedy)
"Ships are but boards, sailors but men; there be land-rats and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves, I mean pirates, and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks." (William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice)
"The sea is a cruel mistress." (Often attributed to sailors, popularized in fiction)
"Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think." (Robert Henri)
Etymology
The word "sea" has a long history, tracing its roots back to ancient Germanic languages.
It comes from the Old English word "sǣ" (pronounced somewhat like "sigh-uh" or "say-uh"), which referred to a "sheet of water, sea, lake, or pool." This Old English term itself evolved from an even older language called Proto-Germanic, where the word was "saiwiz". This Proto-Germanic word broadly meant a "body of water," including both lakes and oceans.
Interestingly, at this early stage, Germanic languages didn't always make a clear distinction between a large body of salt water (like the ocean) and smaller bodies of fresh water (like a lake). This might reflect the geography where these languages developed, which included areas with many lakes and inland seas. In fact, some related words in other Germanic languages, like German's "See," can still mean either "sea" (feminine) or "lake" (masculine) depending on how it's used.
The very first known use of "sea" in its Old English form, "sǣ," dates back to before the 12th century. Its original meaning was quite broad, encompassing the vast expanse of salt water that covers much of the world, but also individual large bodies of water, and even inland seas, bogs, and rivers. Over time, as English evolved, the meaning of "sea" became more specifically associated with the saltwater oceans, though it can still be used metaphorically or to refer to certain large lakes (like the "Caspian Sea").
Phrases + Idioms Containing Sea
At sea: Confused or bewildered; lost.
By the sea: Located near or beside the ocean.
Go to sea: To become a sailor or to begin a voyage on the ocean.
The high seas: The open ocean, especially outside the territorial waters of any country.
A sea change: A profound or notable transformation.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea: In a difficult situation where both choices are equally bad.
Sail the seven seas: To travel extensively across the world's oceans.
A sea of faces: A large crowd of people.
Cast your bread upon the waters (or sea): To do good deeds without expecting immediate recompense, trusting that it will eventually return to you.
As vast as the sea: Extremely large or extensive.
Lost at sea: Literally, lost in the ocean; metaphorically, in a hopeless or unrecoverable situation.
The calm before the storm (often refers to a calm before a turbulent "sea"): A period of peace before a difficult or chaotic time.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of sea from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
