Pelagic is a term used to describe creatures or objects that inhabit the open sea, as opposed to those that live closer to shore. The spelling of pelagic may seem confusing, but it follows the phonetic transcription of /pəlavdʒɪk/. The "p" and "l" combine to form the "pl" sound in the first syllable, and the "a" is pronounced with a schwa sound, written as "/ə/". The rest of the word follows standard English phonetics. The spelling of pelagic may be challenging, but understanding its pronunciation is essential for clear communication.
Pelagic is an adjective used to describe something that is associated with or inhabits the open sea or deep oceanic waters, specifically referring to marine organisms or features. It is derived from the Greek word "pelagos," meaning sea or open water.
In terms of marine organisms, pelagic species are those that live in the open ocean rather than near the coast or seafloor. They are well adapted to navigating the vast expanse of the ocean and are typically strong swimmers or drifters. Examples of pelagic organisms include various types of fish, such as tuna and sharks, as well as marine mammals like dolphins and whales that are capable of swimming long distances in search of food.
In addition to living organisms, pelagic features refer to natural phenomena or geological structures found in the open ocean. This could include pelagic sediments, which are fine particles of sand, silt, or clay that settle in the water column or cover the seafloor. It may also refer to pelagic islands, which are remote, uninhabited islands that emerge from the sea and are not connected to continental land masses.
Overall, the term pelagic encompasses the wide range of organisms and geological features that characterize the vast and often mysterious open ocean environment.
Pert. to the deep sea or outer ocean, in contradistinction to littoral or along shore.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word pelagic originates from the Greek word pelagikos, which means of the sea or pertaining to the open sea. It is derived from the Greek word pelagos, meaning sea or open sea.