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Glite Dictionary
Timor Sea

Timor Sea

1 4.1
A part of the ocean between Timor and northern Australia
  • proper noun
: mar de Timor
  • Tourists often enjoy scuba diving in the clear waters of the Timor Sea.

Examples

  • Many fishing boats operate in the Timor Sea, targeting a variety of fish species.

  • Then to the coast of New Holland and... ...from there across the Timor Sea to Coupang.

    The Bounty (1984)

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

Surface Forms

Timor Sea main

Morphology

Timor + sea

The compound is directly compositional: 'Timor' names the island/region and 'sea' denotes a body of saltwater, so the meaning 'the sea by Timor (between Timor and northern Australia)' is immediately derivable from the parts. Geographic naming patterns of place + sea are cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand this MWE.

Etymology

Timor Sea gets its name from the nearby island called Timor. The island's name may come from a local word meaning 'east', so the sea between that island and northern Australia became known as the Timor Sea.