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mer
/mɛʁ/
sea
La mer Méditerranée est très calme aujourd'hui.
The Mediterranean Sea is very calm today.
neutral
The expanse of salt water covering most of the Earth's surface; an area of this water smaller than an ocean, partially enclosed by land.
Nous allons passer nos vacances au bord de la mer.
We are going to spend our holidays by the sea.
Les vagues de la mer sont hautes aujourd'hui.
The waves in the sea are high today.
In French, 'mer' can refer to any sea, while 'océan' specifically means ocean.
geography
A large body of salt water of second rank within an ocean, often partially enclosed by land.
La mer Rouge est connue pour sa biodiversité.
The Red Sea is known for its biodiversity.
Used in geographical contexts to distinguish from oceans.
figurative
A large quantity or number of something (often used metaphorically).
Une mer de larmes coulait sur son visage.
A sea of tears flowed down her face.
Common in literary or emotional contexts.
Collocations
au bord de la merby the seala mer Méditerranéethe Mediterranean Seala mer du Nordthe North Seala haute merthe open seala mer Baltiquethe Baltic Sea
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Gender and Article
'Mer' is a feminine noun in French, so it always uses 'la' (the) unless in expressions like 'en mer' (at sea) where the article is omitted.
Gold Rule
Distinguishing 'mer' and 'océan'
'Mer' refers to a sea (partially enclosed by land), while 'océan' refers to a vast, open expanse of salt water covering a large part of the Earth's surface. For example, 'la mer Méditerranée' (the Mediterranean Sea) vs. 'l'océan Atlantique' (the Atlantic Ocean).
Word Origin
From Old French 'mer', from Latin 'mare', from Proto-Italic '*mari', from Proto-Indo-European '*móri' (sea, lake). Cognates include Italian 'mare', Spanish 'mar', Portuguese 'mar', and English 'marine'.
Usage Notes
'Mer' is feminine in French and always used with the definite article 'la' unless in certain fixed expressions like 'en mer' (at sea). The plural 'mers' is rarely used except in poetic or technical contexts.
Word Breakdown
mer
sea
rootDictionnaire Français-Anglais