MEANING
The white, foamy crest of a wave as its top breaks.
Use it for
showing wind roughening open water; describing scattered white wave tops; making a distant sea surface visibly restlessIdentifies the foaming crest of a wind-broken wave without naming all sea foam. Writing functions: Wind-driven sea surface.
Words that belong together
- whitecaps on the water
- a sea of whitecaps
- whitecaps forming offshore
On the page
Whitecaps multiplied beyond the harbor wall as the wind rose.
From the cliff, each whitecap flashed and disappeared.
Word forms
- Base
- whitecap
Usage notes
Countable noun: whitecap, whitecaps; most often plural. Also written white cap. Register: neutral. Commonness: moderately common (dictionary-informed qualitative editorial estimate; not a measured frequency).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.