sea breeze

American  

noun

1. a thermally produced wind blowing from a cool ocean surface onto adjoining warm land.

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sea breeze British  

noun

1. a wind blowing from the sea to the land, esp during the day when the land surface is warmer

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sea breeze Cultural  

1. The breeze that blows from the sea toward the land during the day, as air rising over the warmer land is replaced by cooler air from above the sea. (Compare land breeze.)

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Etymology

Origin of sea breeze

First recorded in 1690–1700

Compare meaning

How does sea-breeze compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• land breeze vs. sea breeze

Example Sentences

Bottle bio: From the North Fork of Long Island, N.Y., it opens with aromas of lime zest, green apple, white peach and sea breeze.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

The sea breeze rustled the leaves of a palm as we talked in her small backyard.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

"It wasn't there in my childhood" in Lahore, said the 45-year-old who now lives in coastal Karachi, where the sea breeze no longer saves residents from smog.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

With less of a cooling sea breeze, these warmer waters can amplify land heatwaves, and they also have the potential to bring heavier rainfall.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2025

The scent and the feeling are adventurous and exhilarating, with the salty tinge of a sea breeze.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern