Pacific Ocean

American  

[puh-sif-ik oh-shuhn] / pəˈsɪf ɪk ˈoʊ ʃən /

Often the Pacific

noun

1. the largest of the world’s five principal oceans, bordered by the American continents, Asia, and Australia, with its deepest section in the Mariana Trench: divided by the equator into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. 62,455,900 square miles (161,760,000 square kilometers).

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Pacific Ocean British  

noun

1. the world's largest and deepest ocean, lying between Asia and Australia and North and South America: almost landlocked in the north, linked with the Arctic Ocean only by the Bering Strait, and extending to Antarctica in the south; has exceptionally deep trenches, and a large number of volcanic and coral islands. Area: about 165 760 000 sq km (64 000 000 sq miles). Average depth: 4215 m (14 050 ft). Greatest depth: Challenger Deep (in the Marianas Trench), 11 033 m (37 073 ft). Greatest width: (between Panama and Mindanao, Philippines) 17 066 km (10 600 miles)

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Pacific Ocean Cultural  

1. The largest ocean in the world, separating Asia and Australia on the west from North America and South America on the east.

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Etymology

Origin of Pacific Ocean

First recorded in 1560–70

Example Sentences

Before the Seychelles population was wiped out, the species occupied an even larger range that stretched more than 12,000 kilometers from Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2026

"If you took all the land on Earth and pieced it together, you would not cover the Pacific Ocean," Voight pointed out.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

In addition to the agriculture and Pacific Ocean areas outside, visitors will find a camping exhibit with an obstacle course, gratitude tree and a series of different shaped tents where kids can play.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

CARLSBAD, Calif.—John Levy Jr. built his dream home by a lagoon overlooking the Pacific Ocean and turned it into a private retreat he christened “Levyland,” complete with his own pickleball court.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

But there was Balboa taking possession of the Pacific Ocean and he was neat as a pin.

From "Homesick" by Jean Fritz