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Glite Dictionary
Arafura Sea

Arafura Sea

1 7.4
A sea between northern Australia and southern New Guinea
  • proper noun
: mar de Arafura
  • The Arafura Sea connects to the Timor Sea and the Coral Sea through various straits.

Examples

  • Fishing is an important industry in the Arafura Sea due to its abundant marine life.

  • The storm forced the ship to change course across the Arafura Sea.

  • The Arafura Sea is known for its rich marine biodiversity.

  • Have you ever sailed in the Arafura Sea?

  • Fishing is an important industry in the Arafura Sea due to its abundant marine life.

  • The Arafura Sea connects to the Timor Sea and the Coral Sea through various straits.

  • The Arafura Sea is known for its rich marine biodiversity.

Surface Forms

Arafura Sea main

Morphology

Arafura + sea

The element 'sea' makes the construction immediately classifiable as a body of saltwater, so a learner who knows 'sea' will understand it names a particular sea. However, 'Arafura' is a proper name with no compositional meaning available to learners, so the specific referent/location and any cultural/geographic knowledge are not derivable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Arafura Sea may come from an old word for the 'local people' who lived along its shores. European sailors used that name for the water, so the sea's name reminds us of the people and places between northern Australia and New Guinea.