gulf

—gulflike, adj. —gulfy, adj.

/gulf/, n.

1. a portion of an ocean or sea partly enclosed by land.

2. a deep hollow; chasm or abyss.

3. any wide separation, as in position, status, or education.

4. something that engulfs or swallows up.

v.t.

5. to swallow up; engulf.

[1300-50; ME go(u)lf < OF golfe < It golfo < LGk kólphos, Gk kólpos bosom, lap, bay]

Syn. 2. canyon, gorge, gully, cleft, rift, split.

* * *

I

Any large coastal indentation, similar to a bay but larger.

Most existing gulfs were formed or greatly extended as a result of the rise in sea level that accompanied the ending of the last ice age. Some, such as the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Oman, resulted from warping, folding, or downfaulting of the Earth's crust, which caused parts of the shoreline to drop below sea level. Most gulfs are connected with the sea by one or more straits. A gulf may have a group of islands at its mouth or may open into another gulf. Gulfs may differ from the adjoining sea in water properties and sedimentation.

II

(as used in expressions)

Aden Gulf of

Alaska Gulf of

Amundsen Gulf

Aqaba Gulf of

Arta Gulf of

Gulf of Chihli

Bothnia Gulf of

California Gulf of

Carpentaria Gulf of

Exmouth Gulf

Fonseca Gulf of

Gdansk Gulf of

Guacanayabo Gulf of

Guinea Gulf of

Gulf & Western Inc.

Gulf Cooperation Council

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Gulf Oil Corp.

Gulf Stream

Gulf War syndrome

Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Co.

Joseph Bonaparte Gulf

Khambhat Gulf of

Gulf of Cambay

Laconia Gulf of

Leyte Gulf Battle of

Lingayen Gulf

Lion Gulf of

Messenia Gulf of

Mexico Gulf of

Mirabello Gulf

Nicoya Gulf of

Oman Gulf of

Paria Gulf of

Persian Gulf

Persian Gulf War First

Gulf War

Persian Gulf War Second

Riga Gulf of

Saint Lawrence Gulf of

Saint Vincent Gulf

Saint Malo Gulf of

Saronic Gulf

Shelikhov Gulf of

Sidra Gulf of

Gulf of Sirte

Singitic Gulf

Suez Gulf of

Tehuantepec Gulf of

Thailand Gulf of

Gulf of Siam

Tonkin Gulf of

Venice Gulf of

Gulf of Gascony

* * *

 any large coastal indentation. A gulf is similar to a bay both in terms of shape and of origin, but it generally occupies a larger area.

      A brief treatment of gulfs follows. For further discussion, see ocean: Gulfs and bays (ocean).

      Most existing gulfs were formed or greatly extended as a result of the rise in sea level that accompanied the melting of the last Pleistocene glacial ice mass, as vast sections of the continental margins were drowned. Some pronounced coastal concavities, however, have resulted from the warping, folding, or downfaulting of the Earth's crust, which caused large segments of the shoreline to drop below sea level. The Gulf of California and the Gulf of Oman were formed when such tectonic depressions were inundated by the sea.

      Gulfs may occur alone or in groups. Single gulfs generally are formed along linear shores of continents, whereas clusters of gulfs tend to occur along irregular shorelines of complex geologic structure. In most cases, gulfs are connected with the sea by one or more straits. Some gulfs may have a group of islands at their mouths; others may open into another gulf on the opposite side.

      Gulfs may differ from the adjoining sea by virtue of water properties and the processes of sedimentation. Differences of this sort are dictated by the size and shape of a particular gulf as well as by its depth and bottom topography. In a large number of cases, the degree to which a gulf is isolated from the adjacent sea is also a contributing factor.

* * *