das Weltmeer
global ocean
All of Earth's interconnected seas and oceans considered as a whole.
EXAMPLE
Das Weltmeer bedeckt den größten Teil der Erdoberfläche.
The global ocean covers most of Earth's surface.
das Weltmeer
ocean
das Weltmeer, die Weltmeere
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Meanings
das Weltmeer
ocean
One of Earth's major oceans.
EXAMPLE
Der Pazifik ist das größte Weltmeer.
The Pacific is the largest ocean.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Weltmeer, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Weltmeere |
| genitive | des Weltmeeres |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Weltmeer | die Weltmeere |
| accusative | das Weltmeer | die Weltmeere |
| dative | dem Weltmeer | den Weltmeeren |
| genitive | des Weltmeeres des Weltmeers | der Weltmeere |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Compound word
'Weltmeer' (global ocean) is made up of 'Welt' (world) and 'Meer' (sea). The word thus refers to Earth's seas and oceans as one interconnected whole.
EXAMPLE
Viele Strömungen verbinden die einzelnen Teile des Weltmeers miteinander.
Many currents connect the different parts of the global ocean.
Typical collocations
'Weltmeer' (global ocean) is often used with verbs related to research and environmental protection, for example 'das Weltmeer erforschen' (to explore the global ocean), 'das Weltmeer schützen' (to protect the global ocean), and 'das Weltmeer verschmutzen' (to pollute the global ocean).
EXAMPLE
Internationale Organisationen wollen das Weltmeer besser schützen.
International organizations want to protect the global ocean more effectively.
Specialized usage
'Weltmeer' (global ocean) is particularly common in geographical, scientific, and environmental policy texts. In literary texts, the word can also create a vivid or solemn effect.
EXAMPLE
Die Forschung untersucht, wie der Klimawandel das Weltmeer verändert.
Researchers are studying how climate change is changing the global ocean.
In real life
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