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

Mr. Nézet-Séguin found the score’s oceanic qualities without wallowing in them, holding to its throughline even in the most fervid passages, and making the mood changes between the acts and within them clear.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Greenland’s geopolitical relevance—for oceanic and space domination, for missile defense, for critical-mineral extraction, for oil and gas—has only grown.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

This occurs as an oceanic tectonic plate sinks deeper into the Earth's interior.

From Science Daily • Jan. 1, 2026

Her armor is varying shades of blue as well, from oceanic to berry, with her green sash cutting across the breastplate.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black