Skip to main content
Labrador Sea

Labrador Sea

4.4
A sea in the North Atlantic between the Labrador Peninsula in Canada and southern Greenland
  • proper noun
translation icon : mar de Labrador
  • Icebergs drift south in the Labrador Sea each spring, posing hazards to ships.

Examples

  • The Labrador Sea is known for its cold temperature and strong ocean currents.

  • Many species of whales migrate through the Labrador Sea during the summer months.

  • The Labrador Sea is known for its cold waters.

  • Many marine species thrive in the Labrador Sea.

  • Icebergs drift south in the Labrador Sea each spring, posing hazards to ships.

  • Many species of whales migrate through the Labrador Sea during the summer months.

  • The Labrador Sea is known for its cold temperature and strong ocean currents.

Surface Forms

Morphology

Labrador + sea

The meaning 'a sea by the Labrador Peninsula' is directly and transparently derived from the place-name 'Labrador' combined with the noun 'sea', following a common geographical naming pattern ("X Sea"). This compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Labrador Sea is named after the land called Labrador, which was named for a Portuguese explorer, João Fernandes Labrador, whose name meant 'farmer'. Because he sailed near that coast long ago, the sea beside that land took the same name, so today Labrador Sea refers to the cold ocean area between Labrador and Greenland.