sea level

American  

noun

1. the horizontal plane or level corresponding to the surface of the sea at mean level between high and low tide.

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sea level British  

noun

1. the level of the surface of the sea with respect to the land, taken to be the mean level between high and low tide, and used as a standard base for measuring heights and depths

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sea level Scientific  

1. The level of the ocean's surface. Sea level at a particular location changes regularly with the tides and irregularly due to conditions such as wind and currents. Other factors that contribute to such fluctuation include water temperature and salinity, air pressure, seasonal changes, the amount of stream runoff, and the amount of water that is stored as ice or snow.

2. ◆ The reference point used as a standard for determining terrestrial and atmospheric elevation or ocean depths is called the mean sea level and is calculated as the average of hourly tide levels measured by mechanical tide gauges over extended periods of time.

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Etymology

Origin of sea level

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

As an example, Cuenca sits at 8,400 feet above sea level.

From MarketWatch

Perched at almost 7,500 feet above sea level, Abha is occasionally nicknamed by Saudis as the “Lady of the Fog” or “the Bride of the Mountain.”

From Los Angeles Times

Coastlines around the planet are being steadily "crushed" as climate-driven sea level rise combines with expanding development in coastal zones.

From Science Daily

JOHANNESBURG—In 1886, prospectors struck gold here on a stretch of farmland more than a mile above sea level.

From The Wall Street Journal

The city of Big Bear Lake is at an elevation of 6,752 feet above sea level.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• water level