This is the 972nd most frequent Spanish word.
ola
"Wave" (movement in water or figuratively, a surge).
In this sentence, 'ola' is used in its primary sense referring to a wave in the sea.
La ola del mar llegó a la orilla.
The wave of the sea reached the shore.
Here, 'ola' is used metaphorically to describe an extensive phenomenon or occurrence, such as heat.
Hubo una ola de calor intenso durante el verano.
There was a wave of intense heat during the summer.
In this statement, 'ola' is metaphorically used to describe a surge of collective emotional response.