epipelagic

American

[ep-ee-puh-laj-ik] / ˌɛp i pəˈlædʒ ɪk /

adjective

of or relating to the stratum of the oceanic zone where enough light is present for photosynthesis to occur.

epipelagic British

/ ˌɛpɪpəˈlædʒɪk /

adjective

of, relating to, or inhabiting the upper zone of the ocean from just below the surface to approximately 100 metres deep

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of epipelagic

First recorded in 1935–40; epi- + pelagic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For instance, a variety of plants and animals thrive in the epipelagic, or sunlight, zone—the top layer of water, where light is strong and pressure is relatively low.

From Scientific American

The thin, top layer is the “sunlight” or epipelagic zone, which receives enough light for photosynthesis by phytoplankton, algae and some bacteria.

From Scientific American

"These rays, in effect, connect the surface, epipelagic layers in the ocean, with the deep - the twilight zone."

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023