Red Sea

American  

noun

1. an arm of the Indian Ocean, extending northwest between Africa and Arabia: connected to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal. 1,450 miles (2,335 kilometers) long; 170,000 square miles (440,300 square kilometers); greatest depth, 7,254 feet (2,211 meters).

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Red Sea British  

noun

1. a long narrow sea between Arabia and NE Africa, linked with the Mediterranean in the north by the Suez Canal and with the Indian Ocean in the south: occasionally reddish in appearance through algae. Area: 438 000 sq km (169 000 sq miles)

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Red Sea Cultural  

1. Narrow sea between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

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Discover More

According to the Bible (see also Bible), the Red Sea's waters parted to allow the Israelites, led by Moses, to escape the pursuing Egyptian army. The “Red Sea” of the biblical account, however, seems more likely to have been the marshy Sea of Reeds than the present-day Red Sea.

Probably named for the red algae that are sometimes present in its waters.

Etymology

Origin of Red Sea

Translation of Latin Mare Rubrum, from Greek Erythrà Thálassa “Red Sea,” a translation of Hebrew Yam Sūph “Sea of Reeds.” The reason for Erythrà (Thálassa) is unknown; perhaps Erythrà refers to seasonal blooms of red algae on the on the surface of the water, or to ancient associations of “red” with “south,” (as “black” with “north,” as in “Black Sea”)

Example Sentences

Saudi Arabia built a pipeline to the Red Sea in the 1980s that can transport up to seven million barrels a day of oil.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

Over the last three years Abiy has repeatedly spoken of his country's need to regain access to a Red Sea port, which it lost when Eritrea became independent in 1993.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026

Both companies have suspended shipping routes through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, the gateway to the canal, due to safety concerns related to the war and the volatile situation around Hormuz.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

“With global commodity trade already facing notable logistical snares due to the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a resumption in Houthi attacks in the Red Sea would add yet another layer of complexity.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

It’s a seaport town on the Red Sea, the arrival or disembarkation point for all pilgrims who come to Arabia to go to Mecca.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey