Seawater

/ˈsiːwɔːtər/ noun

Definition

The salty water that fills the oceans and seas, containing dissolved salts and minerals.

Etymology

Compound of 'sea' (from Old English 'sǽ') and 'water' (from Old English 'wæter'). A straightforward descriptive term used since Old English times.

Kelly Says

Seawater is so salty because salt minerals have been washing into the ocean for billions of years from rocks and soil, and nothing removes the salt—it just keeps accumulating!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.