seafloor

American  

[see-flawr] / ˈsiˌflɔr /

Or sea floor

noun

1. the solid surface underlying a sea or an ocean.

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Etymology

Origin of seafloor

First recorded in 1850–55; sea + floor

Example Sentences

During these missions, scientists placed ocean bottom seismometers, instruments designed to detect earthquakes directly on the seafloor, along two parts of the Gofar fault.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

Specifically, it was part of the anemone's base, which anchors the animal to rocky surfaces on the seafloor.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

These fossils were recovered from sites in Japan and Vancouver Island, where calm seafloor conditions helped preserve delicate details.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

“The nodules sit on the seafloor like cobbles in a street,” said Diva Amon, a marine biologist at the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2025

Marine archaeologists also use side-scan sonar for developing nautical charts, locating underwater hazards, and mapping the seafloor.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler