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Glite Dictionary
ocean bottom

ocean bottom

3 3.7
The lowest part of the sea where sand and mud rest
  • noun
  • /ˈoʊʃən ˈbɑːtəm/
translation icon : fondo oceánico
  • The majority of macrourid species appear to spend a good part of the time swimming near the ocean bottom, feeding on benthic and midwater organisms (Marshall and Merrett, 1977).

Examples

  • When the plankton died and sank to the ocean bottom, their carbonate shells would have become sediment, thus removing CO2 from the system.

    Academic text (1991)

  • We must ensure that the deep seas and the ocean bottoms are, and remain, the legacy of all human beings.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The whole ocean bottom must have been torn up.

    Gorgo (1961)

  • Captain, the sub kicked up half the ocean bottom.

    Men of Honor (2000)

  • The receding wave had now pulled so much water out from the shore that it seemed to expose the entire ocean bottom.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Oh wait, countries are trying to plant flags on the ocean bottom and claim it for themselves, but international treaties are preventing them.

    Blog text (1)

  • It must have sunk to the ocean bottom to be eaten by the fish.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Did you not know that the cold side of the oceanic conveyor belt travels along the ocean bottom, mostly out of reach of ARGO?

    Blog text (29)

  • Scientists may use sonar to measure water currents, map floor profiles, and determine the characteristics of ocean-bottom sediments.

    Academic text (2007)

  • AUVs will map currents and the ocean bottom to help manned subs and ships navigate safely.

Synonyms

ocean floor
vsocean bottom
27 2.9

The bottom of the sea or ocean with plains, ridges, and trenches

focuses specifically on the deepest parts instead of broad geological zones
seabed
vsocean bottom
14 2.4

The ground at the bottom of the sea where sand and rocks lie

is the deepest part rather than the general lower area under water
sea floor
vsocean bottom
13 2.8

The ground under the sea or ocean

is limited to the very deepest areas rather than that general sense
seafloor
vsocean bottom
10 2.7

The bottom of the sea or ocean

is focused on the deepest parts not the general lower surface
sea bottom
vsocean bottom
2 2.5

The floor of the sea where sand, rocks, and animals live

is the deepest point rather than the broad lower surface under water

How Deep

trench
  • Specialized
14 6.8
ocean bottom
3 3.7
abyssal
  • Specialized
1 9.4
continental shelf
  • Specialized
4 5.5
shore
441 1.0

Surface Forms

ocean bottom singular
ocean bottoms plural

Morphology

ocean + bottom

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'ocean' (sea) with 'bottom' (the lowest surface); it simply denotes the lowest part or floor of the ocean. This noun–noun compounding is a regular, compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Ocean bottom shows a simple image: the ocean has a bottom like the floor under a room. So it means the 'floor' at the deepest part of the sea.