oceanic
adjective
of, living in, or produced by the ocean.
oceanic
American
[oh-shee-an-ik]
/ ˌoʊ ʃiˈæn ɪk /
adjective
-
of, living in, or produced by the ocean.
oceanic currents.
-
Oceanography. of or relating to the region of water lying above the bathyal, abyssal, and hadal zones of the sea bottom.
-
immensely large; vast.
an oceanic expanse of stars.
-
(initial capital letter) of or relating to Oceania, its peoples, or their languages.
Oceanic
1
British
/ ˌəʊʃɪˈænɪk /
noun
adjective
-
of, relating to, or belonging to this group of languages
-
of or relating to Oceania
oceanic
2
British
/ ˌəʊʃɪˈænɪk /
adjective
-
of or relating to the ocean
-
living in the depths of the ocean beyond the continental shelf at a depth exceeding 200 metres
oceanic fauna
-
huge or overwhelming
-
(of geological formations) of volcanic origin, arising from the ocean
oceanic islands
oceanic
Scientific
/ ō′shē-ăn′ĭk /
-
Relating to the ocean.
-
Relating to the ocean waters that lie beyond the continental shelf and exceed 200 m (656 ft) in depth.
-
Compare neritic See more at epipelagic zone
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of oceanic
First recorded in 1650–60; from Medieval Latin ōceanicus, equivalent to Latin ōcean(us) + -icus adjective suffix; see origin at ocean, -ic
Explanation
Things that have something to do with the ocean are oceanic. Oceanic water comes from the sea, and oceanic study focuses on creatures that live in the ocean and other ocean-related topics. An oceanic vessel is a fancy way of referring to a ship that sails on the sea, and oceanic tides are the constantly rising and falling levels of ocean water. You can also use this adjective to mean, "as enormous as the ocean," like an oceanic success or an oceanic pile of work to do before the end of the day. Oceanic comes from the Greek okeanos, which in ancient Greece referred to an imagined "endless river surrounding the land."
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.
See Examples For:
That, combined with seas that have already risen over the past century due to human-caused climate change, puts California’s treasured coast in the oceanic crosshairs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
The varieties from Pemaquid Oyster Company started with a salty brine that teed up an oceanic kick of kelp.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
"Chances are this El Nino is going to be stronger than the 2015-2016 one," Leising said, noting that a decade ago, the oceanic heat wave was devastating for the Golden State.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
It also altered the structure and chemistry of the oceanic plate beneath it.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
She eased it away and turned her attention to the task, still dizzy from the sense of oceanic gladness that surrounded her.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the current El Niño continues to strengthen and will likely remain strong through March.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
A 2019 review in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology documents at least three distinct introgression events from Denisovan-like populations into south-east Asian and Oceanic ancestors alone, some occurring as recently as 20,000 years ago.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, El Niño is getting stronger as we head toward winter, increasing the chances of above-average snowfall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Santa Anas typically arrive in the fall, and the next three months are likely to be warmer than normal across California, according to the latest seasonal outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
This peculiar linking-together of opposites—knowl-edge with ignorance, cynicism with fanaticism—is one of the chief distinguishing marks of Oceanic society.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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