pelagic
pelagic
Adjective
This term describes the vast, three-dimensional space of the open ocean. It specifically excludes the coastal shallows and the seabed, focusing instead on the water column where organisms drift or swim freely. In biological contexts, it serves as a precise technical contrast to benthic, which refers to the ocean floor. While a benthic creature crawls or burrows, a pelagic creature is adapted for a life of constant movement or suspension in deep water.