sea
gb/sˈi/ us/sˈi/
A1
English
~ 900
tenger, valaminek a tengere, tengernyi
NOUN
A1
1
tenger
A1
Usage pattern:
the [adjective] sea
We spent the summer sailing across the Mediterranean Sea.
A nyarat azzal töltöttük, hogy áthajóztunk a Földközi-tengeren.
The sea was calm and blue under the morning sun.
A tenger nyugodt és kék volt a reggeli napfényben.
Pollution is harming many creatures in the sea.
From the cliff, you can see the endless sea.
Fishermen depend on the sea for their livelihood.
Learner examples
The sea is very big.
A tenger nagyon nagy.
I like to swim in the sea.
Szeretek a tengerben úszni.
The boat is on the sea.
The sea is blue today.
We go to the sea in summer.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sea' with 'lake'; a sea is made of salt water and is often connected to an ocean, while a lake is fresh water and inland.
Meaning
Large saltwater body
Collocations
open sea
|stormy sea
|at sea
|sea level
|sea water
Synonyms
ocean (Usually refers to one of the Earth's largest continuous bodies of salt water; 'sea' can be smaller or part of an ocean.)
Antonyms
land (The solid surface of the Earth, as opposed to bodies of water like the sea.)
Themes
geography
|nature
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very big area of salt water, bigger than a lake, like the ocean.
A large body of salt water that covers most of the Earth's surface and surrounds its landmasses.
NOUN
B1
2
tengernyi
B2
Usage pattern:
a sea of [things/people]
She looked out at a sea of cheering fans.
Kinézett az ujjongó rajongók tengerére.
The city square was a sea of umbrellas in the rain.
Az esőben a város főtere esernyők tengere volt.
We were lost in a sea of paperwork.
Learner examples
I saw a sea of people at the concert.
A koncerten embertengert láttam.
There was a sea of red flowers in the garden.
A kertben piros virágok tengere volt.
The shop had a sea of toys.
Common mistake:
Learners may take this meaning literally and think it refers to water; here it describes a large amount of something else.
Meaning
Large quantity or mass
Collocations
sea of faces
|sea of lights
|sea of people
Synonyms
ocean (Used metaphorically in the same way; 'ocean' can suggest even greater scale.)
Antonyms
handful (A very small number or amount compared to a 'sea'.)
Themes
descriptions
|metaphor
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very big number or amount of something, like a crowd or things all together.
A very large amount of something, often appearing like a continuous surface or crowd.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sea
IPA
GB/sˈi/
US/sˈi/
Syllables & stress
sea (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sea)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sea
- Plural: sea, seas
Word family
Expressions
a sea change
1/ə sˈi t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ/
idiom
Major transformation
A big and important change in something.
Examples
- There has been a sea change in public opinion about climate change.
- Her attitude underwent a sea change after she traveled abroad.
at sea
1/ˈæt sˈi/
idiom
Confused or on a ship
On a ship at sea, or feeling very confused and not knowing what to do.
Examples
- We were at sea for three weeks before reaching land.
- I'm completely at sea with these new instructions.
lost at sea
1/lˈɔst ˈæt sˈi/
fixed phrase
Missing at sea or confused
Not found after being at sea, or feeling very confused and without an idea what to do.
Examples
- Several sailors were lost at sea during the storm.
- When it comes to taxes, I'm lost at sea.
sea level
1/sˈi lˈɛvəl/
fixed phrase
technical
Average ocean height for measurement
The average height of the surface of the ocean, used to measure how high land or mountains are.
Examples
- The city is 500 meters above sea level.
- Sea level has been rising due to climate change.