oceanic

American  

[oh-shee-an-ik] / ˌoʊ ʃiˈæn ɪk /

adjective

1. of, living in, or produced by the ocean.

   oceanic currents.

2. Oceanography. of or relating to the region of water lying above the bathyal, abyssal, and hadal zones of the sea bottom.

3. immensely large; vast.

   an oceanic expanse of stars.

4. (initial capital letter) of or relating to Oceania, its peoples, or their languages.

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Oceanic ¹ British  

/ ˌəʊʃɪˈænɪk /

noun

1. a branch, group, or subfamily of the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages, comprising Polynesian and Melanesian

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to this group of languages

2. of or relating to Oceania

oceanic ² British  

/ ˌəʊʃɪˈænɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the ocean

2. living in the depths of the ocean beyond the continental shelf at a depth exceeding 200 metres

   oceanic fauna

3. huge or overwhelming

4. (of geological formations) of volcanic origin, arising from the ocean

   oceanic islands

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oceanic Scientific  

/ ō′shē-ăn′ĭk /

1. Relating to the ocean.

2. Relating to the ocean waters that lie beyond the continental shelf and exceed 200 m (656 ft) in depth.

3. Compare neritic See more at epipelagic zone

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Other Word Forms

• preoceanic adjective
• unoceanic adjective

Etymology

Origin of oceanic

First recorded in 1650–60; from Medieval Latin ōceanicus, equivalent to Latin ōcean(us) + -icus adjective suffix; ocean, -ic

Example Sentences

Their vibrant, jam-packed settings depict anything from an oceanic rave to a rainbow-hued big top performance to a joyride through the cosmos.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

A tender hunk of goat may follow, gleaming over a sauce that gets its oceanic depth from dried scallops.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

It developed a state-of-the-art oceanic passageway that helped transform global shipping as supertankers and containerships grew bigger and bigger.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

"Understanding the origin of rainfall and whether it comes from oceanic or land sources, gives policymakers and farmers a new tool to predict and mitigate drought stress before it happens."

From Science Daily • Dec. 12, 2025

Her breathing devolves into trains of oceanic coughs.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr