Strait of Ormuz
- proper noun
:
Estrecho de Ormuz
- The closure of the Strait of Ormuz would have a major impact on global oil prices.
Examples
-
Large oil tankers pass through the Strait of Ormuz on their way to international markets.
-
Tensions often rise in the region surrounding the Strait of Ormuz due to its strategic significance.
-
The Strait of Ormuz is crucial for global oil trade.
-
Many ships pass through the Strait of Ormuz every day.
-
Large oil tankers pass through the Strait of Ormuz on their way to international markets.
-
Tensions often rise in the region surrounding the Strait of Ormuz due to its strategic significance.
-
The closure of the Strait of Ormuz would have a major impact on global oil prices.
Synonyms
5
6.1
A narrow sea passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that most oil tankers use
Surface Forms
Morphology
strait + of + Ormuz
This is a straightforward geographic, compositional name: 'strait' (a narrow sea channel) + 'of' + the place name 'Ormuz', so a learner who knows the constituents will understand it denotes the narrow channel at Ormuz. The phrase's additional geopolitical importance is encyclopedic knowledge rather than idiomatic meaning; the genitive place-name construction is common across languages and thus immediately interpretable.
Etymology
Strait of Ormuz is the name for a very narrow sea channel, a strait near the island of Ormuz that links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. Because so many oil tankers must pass through this small gap, it is like a single road for ships, so blocking it would quickly stop oil traffic and make the strait 'very important' for world oil supply.