verb / noun
surf
SURF/sˈɝf/
Breaking waves near a shore.
The woman rides her board through the breaking surf.
Etymology
The verb comes from the noun for waves breaking on shore: to surf is to ride those waves. The noun probably continues earlier suffe, whose origin is uncertain.
In context
You spend so much time in your own head working out how you want to surf a board or a wave.
More examples
- We fall asleep to the sound of the surf.
- Strong surf makes swimming dangerous today.
- They surf here when the waves are good.
Forms
surf · surfs · surfed · surfing
surfer noun — Someone who rides waves on a board.
Similar words
- breakers
- Individual waves that collapse, rather than breaking waves collectively.
- waves
- Can occur anywhere on water, not just near shore.