Sea vs. Ocean

The sea and the ocean are both large bodies of salt water. Both can be used in a general sense (e.g., the open sea or an ocean view) or in a more specific sense (e.g., the South China Sea or the Pacific Ocean). The ocean can be referred to as "the sea" but seas are not referred to as "the ocean." Technically, all of the oceans and seas are connected to one another.

The sea refers to a body of saltwater that covers most of the earth. Generally, it is a secondary body of saltwater that is largely landlocked. In specific usage, the sea includes the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and others. The word "sea" is often used synonymously with the word "ocean" in a more general sense.

The ocean is one of five major bodies of salt water that cover most of the Earth's surface. They are the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Indian, and Southern Oceans. They cover about 70% of the Earth's surface. The oceans are all interconnected as one large body of water.