cross sea

noun

, Oceanography, Nautical.

1. a sea with a choppy surface produced by the intersection of waves from different storms.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cross sea¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

The day was foggy, and a heavy, cross sea and lumpy waves kept the men miserably wet.

From Literature

“A cross sea is a marine state with two wave systems traveling at oblique angels.”

From Scientific American

The hands were turned up at daylight up anchor; but the heavy squalls that came off the high land of the harbour, rendered it too hazardous to weigh, until a temporary lull enabled us to make sail, and re-commence beating to the westward against a dead foul wind, much rain, hard squalls, and a turbulent cross sea.

From Project Gutenberg

The following day our hopes were still further confirmed by seeing three Indian canoes, coming across the Strait, towards us, from Lomas Bay, which they would not have attempted had they not been sure of its continuing fine; for their canoes are ill adapted to encounter the short cross sea found during bad weather in mid-channel of the Strait.

From Project Gutenberg

The plane taxied over a choppy cross sea toward the shadow of the island, while we squinted through the salt spray.

From Project Gutenberg