pacific

Everyday

1. The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean on Earth, between Asia and Australia on one side and the Americas on the other. tree →
2. Pacific (adjective, formal) means peaceful or wanting peace. tree →

In the lessons

In geography, the Pacific covers about a third of the Earth's surface and has thousands of islands (Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand). The Pacific "Ring of Fire" around it has many volcanoes and earthquakes. The Mariana Trench, the deepest place in the oceans, is in the Pacific. In the USA, the Pacific coast includes California, Oregon and Washington; Pacific Time is a time zone. Phrases: the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands, the Pacific Northwest, Pacific Time.

Examples

• The Pacific is the biggest ocean in the world. tree →
• New Zealand is in the South Pacific. tree →
• We flew across the Pacific to Japan. tree →
• The Ring of Fire circles the Pacific Ocean. tree →
• Hawaii is a group of islands in the Pacific. tree →
• California is on the Pacific coast. tree →
• No cradle is so comfortable as the long, rocking swell of the Pacific. tree →

Note

Capital P when it is the ocean: the Pacific Ocean. Its name means "peaceful", given by the explorer Magellan, though it has big storms. The five oceans are Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic. Do not confuse "pacific" with "specific" — some people wrongly say "pacifically".