big wave
Towering ocean crest
Big wave describes surfing done on waves typically twenty feet or higher, a specialized extreme sport requiring specific equipment and training: big wave surfing, big wave boards.
The term also appears in compounds like big wave rider for athletes who pursue these massive swells.
Outside surfing, a big wave is simply a large wave—no special meaning required.
- swellIncrease in size
- ocean swellLong rolling sea waves
- surfWaves near shore
- tsunamiSeismic sea surge
- breakerWave that collapses shoreward
crest · surge · curl · barrel · hang ten · foam · whitecap · white water · ocean · crash · tide · roller · pipeline · surfing · wipeout · wipe out · roar · spray