Southern Ocean

American  

[suhth-ern oh-shuhn] / ˈsʌð ərn ˈoʊ ʃən /

noun

1. the waters surrounding Antarctica, comprising the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, with its deepest section in the South Sandwich Trench. 8,478,800 square miles (21,960,000 square kilometers).

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Southern Ocean British  

noun

1. another name for the Antarctic Ocean

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Etymology

Origin of Southern Ocean

First recorded in 1660–70, referring to any southern sea; current sense dates from 1700–10

Example Sentences

The octopus appears to be the runt of the Megaleledonidae family, whose members are normally much larger and live in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Researchers said the work also leant further credence to a theory about humpback whale patterns known as the "Southern Ocean Exchange".

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Researchers say the findings could have major implications if the same rainfall intensification is occurring across the broader Southern Ocean storm belt, which multiple lines of evidence suggest may be the case.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

In the cloudy Southern Ocean, evaporation is one of the main ways the ocean loses heat.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

The Alps of the Southern Ocean were just as formidable as any mountain range, and they were unmapped.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong