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high sea

American  
[hahy see] / ˈhaɪ ˈsi /

noun

  1. the sea or ocean beyond the three-mile limit or territorial waters of a state or nation.

  2. Usually high seas.

    1. the open, unenclosed waters of any sea or ocean; common waterway.

      The book was inspired by her own adventures on the high seas.

      Maritime pollution on the high seas is becoming a matter of grave consequence for coastal communities.

    2. Law. the area within which transactions are subject to the jurisdiction of the admiralty court.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of high sea

First recorded before 1100

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.

As for the rest of the season, high sea surface temperatures remain conducive for further storms.

From BBC • Oct. 11, 2024

A 2021 paper from researchers at the University of Washington found a third variable that appears to correlate with more velella sightings: unusually high sea surface temperatures.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2024

Using peer-reviewed research, these visual projections show how the climate and energy choices we make this decade will influence how high sea levels rise in the future.

From National Geographic • Jan. 16, 2024

The extremely high sea surface temperatures recorded earlier this week off Florida’s southern tip were caused by lots of sun, little wind and no storms.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2023

Was help for the Redcoats on the high sea, heading for Boston?

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

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