ocean: [13] In Greek mythology, ōkeanós was a great river or sea that completely encircled the world. This was personified as Ōkeanós, a Titan who was god of this outer sea. The name passed into English via Latin ōceanus and Old French occean, and to begin with was used only for this mythical sea, or for the whole body of water surrounding the Eurasian landmass, with which it was identified. Not until the end of the 14th century did it begin to be applied to large individual sections of the Earth’s seas.
ocean (n.)
late 13c., from Old French occean "ocean" (12c., Modern French océan), from Latin oceanus, from Greek okeanos, the great river or sea surrounding the disk of the Earth (as opposed to the Mediterranean), of unknown origin. Personified as Oceanus, son of Uranus and Gaia and husband of Tethys. In early times, when the only known land masses were Eurasia and Africa, the ocean was an endless river that flowed around them. Until c. 1650, commonly ocean sea, translating Latin mare oceanum. Application to individual bodies of water began 14c.; there are usually reckoned to be five of them, but this is arbitrary; also occasionally applied to smaller subdivisions, such as German Ocean "North Sea."
双语例句
1. It became impractical to make a business trip by ocean liner.
乘坐远洋班轮进行商务旅行变得不合时宜了。
来自柯林斯例句
2. His abiding passion was ocean racing, at which he scored many successes.
他一直酷爱海上赛艇,并多次在比赛中获胜。
来自柯林斯例句
3. APEC seems be drowning in an ocean of jargon.
亚太经合组织似乎为一大堆空洞的胡言乱语所淹没。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Our boat would not have been appropriate for ocean voyaging.
我们的船只本不适合海上航行。
来自柯林斯例句
5. More than 20 helicopters began swooping in low over the ocean.