English Explanatory Dictionary

surf

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

Waves that break on an ocean shoreline.
An instance or session of riding a surfboard in the surf.
A dance popular in the 1960s in which the movements of a surfboard rider are mimicked.
The bottom of a drain.

verb

To ride a wave on a surfboard; to pursue or take part in the sport of surfing.
To surf at a specified place.
To bodysurf; to swim in the surf at a beach.
To browse the Internet, television, etc.

name

Initialism of speeded up robust features.

Pronunciation

/sɜːf/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-surf.wav /sɝf/ En-us-surf.oga /sʌɹf/ /søːf/ /seːf/ /sɛːf/

Word forms

surf surfs surfing surfed

Etymology

Probably from earlier suff, suffe (“the inrush of the sea towards the shore”), possibly from Middle English suffe. Compare sough, surf (“a gutter, drain, sewer, trench”) and sough (“a soothing, gentle, murmuring sound of wind or water”). Alternatively, possibly of Indo-Aryan origin, as the word was formerly a reference to the coast of India, though this is doubtful as no positive etymon can be identified. The verb is from 1917. The verb referring to "browsing the Internet" was popularized by Jean Armour Polly.

Derived words

counter surf surfboard surf and turf Surf Beach surfbird surfboarder surf boat surf carnival surfcast Surf City surf clam Surf Coast surfcoast surf duck surfie surf kayaking surf lifesaving surflike surf line surfman surf mat surfperch surf punk surfrider surf rider surf riding surfriding surf rock surf satin surf scoter surfside surf ski surf torture surfwear surfy bed surf bodysurf car-surf channel-surf couch surf countersurf crowdsurf cybersurf egosurf kitesurf netsurf parasurf shoulder surf side surf silver surfer skurf snurf sofa surf surfable surfari surfatron surf cast surfer surfing train surf

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