ocean

Where does the word "ocean" come from? It comes from Greek ōkeanos, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Ocean’s story begins in Greek: ōkeanos meant “great river encircling the world.” Greek; Okeanos was also the Titan god of this world-river. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as occean. Came via Latin 'oceanus'. It reached English by 1300s as ocean. Named oceans like the Atlantic came later. Today, ocean means a very large expanse of sea.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient ōkeanos "great river encircling the world", Greek; Okeanos was also the Titan god of this world-river.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval occean "ocean", came via Latin 'oceanus'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s ocean "the sea", named oceans like the Atlantic came later.