Etymology Map
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Ocean

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a very large expanse of sea

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

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

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.