water

water

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of water in English

English Online Dictionary. What means water‎? What does water mean?

English

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Pronunciation

  • (Standard Southern British) IPA(key): /ˈwɔːtə/, [wo̞ːtʰə], enPR: wôˈ -tə
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈwɔtəɹ/, [ˈwɔɾɚ], enPR: wôtər
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /ˈwɑtəɹ/, [ˈwɑɾɚ], enPR: wätər
  • (General South African) IPA(key): /ˈwɔːtə/
  • Rhymes: -ɔːtə(ɹ)
  • Hyphenation: wa‧ter

The development of the /ɔː/ vowel instead of expected */weɪtə(r)/ is irregular and has not been conclusively explained (compare the irregular broadening of a in father).

Etymology 1

    From Middle English water, from Old English wæter (“water”), from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”).

    Noun

    water (countable and uncountable, plural waters)

    2. (uncountable) A substance (of molecular formula H2O) found at room temperature and pressure as a clear liquid; it is present naturally as rain, and found in rivers, lakes and seas; its solid form is ice and its gaseous form is steam.
      1. (uncountable, in particular) The liquid form of this substance: liquid H2O.
        • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:water.
      2. (countable) A serving of liquid water.
    3. (alchemy, philosophy) The aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.
    4. (uncountable or in the plural) Water in a body; an area of open water.
      • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
        The president expressed hope that creating rain over waters between the countries would help reduce pollution.
    5. (poetic, archaic or dialectal) A body of water, almost always a river, sometimes a lake or reservoir, especially in the names given to such bodies.
    6. A combination of water and other substance(s).
      1. (sometimes countable) Mineral water.
      2. (countable, often in the plural) Spa water.
      3. (pharmacy) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance.
      4. Urine. [from 15th c.]
      6. Amniotic fluid or the amniotic sac containing it. (Used only in the plural in the UK but often also in the singular in North America.)
        Synonym: bag of waters
      7. (colloquial, medicine) Fluids in the body, especially when causing swelling.
    7. (business, often attributive) The water supply, as a service or utility.
      Coordinate terms: electricity, internet, phone, power, sewer
    8. (figuratively, in the plural or in the singular) A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition.
    9. (colloquial, figuratively) A person's intuition.
      Synonym: bones
    10. (uncountable, dated, finance) Excess valuation of securities.
    11. A particular quality or appearance suggestive of water:
      1. The limpidity and lustre of a precious stone, especially a diamond.
      2. A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc.
    Alternative forms
    • wahter, wahtuh (eye dialect)
    Synonyms
    • See also Thesaurus:water
    • See also Thesaurus:urine
    Hypernyms
    • (chemical having the formula H2O): chemical, substance
    • (liquid H2O): liquid, fluid
    • (basic elements): element
    • (urine): body fluid, bodily fluid, biofluid
    Hyponyms
    • (chemical having the formula H2O): heavy water; ice, steam, water vapor/water vapour
    • (liquid H2O): drinkwater, freshwater, meltwater, mineral water; hard water, soft water
    Meronyms
    • (chemical having the formula H2O): hydrogen, oxygen
    Coordinate terms
    • (liquid H2O): ice, steam, water vapor/water vapour
    • (basic elements): earth, air/wind, fire; wood, metal; void/ether
    Derived terms
    Descendants
    Translations

    Etymology 2

    From Middle English wateren, from Old English wæterian, from Proto-Germanic *watrōną, *watrijaną, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”).

    Verb

    water (third-person singular simple present waters, present participle watering, simple past and past participle watered)

    1. (transitive) To pour water into the soil surrounding (plants).
    2. (transitive) To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate.
    4. (transitive) To provide (animals) with water for drinking.
    5. (intransitive) To get or take in water.
    6. (transitive, colloquial) To urinate onto.
    7. (transitive) To dilute.
    8. (transitive, dated, finance) To overvalue (securities), especially through deceptive accounting.
    9. (intransitive) To fill with or secrete water or similar liquid.
    10. (transitive) To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines.
    Synonyms
    • (urinate): (see the list of synonyms in the entry "urinate")
    • (dilute): water down
    Antonyms
    • (antonym(s) of “dilute”): refine
    Derived terms
    Translations

    Further reading

    • William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “water”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
    • “water”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

    Anagrams

    • Ewart, tawer

    Afrikaans

    Etymology

      From Dutch water, from Middle Dutch wāter, from Old Dutch watar, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈvaːtər/

      Noun

      water (plural waters)

      1. water
      2. any artificial fluid similar to water
      3. (colloquial) urine
      4. any body of water, such as a river or a lake
      5. a disease where water is accumulated; hydrops
      6. (in the plural) a large quantity of water; inundation

      Verb

      water (present water, present participle waterende, past participle gewater)

      1. to urinate
      2. to secrete liquid

      Derived terms

      • waterbok
      • waterlemoen
      • ontwater

      References

      • Jan Kromhout, Afrikaans-English, English-Afrikaans Dictionary (2001)

      Dutch

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /ˈʋaːtər/, (Belgium) [β̞aːtər], (Netherlands) [ʋaːtər]
      • Rhymes: -aːtər
      • Hyphenation: wa‧ter

      Etymology 1

        From Middle Dutch wāter, from Old Dutch watar, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥.

        Noun

        water n (plural waters or wateren, diminutive watertje n)

        1. water (H2O)
        2. body of water (such as a lake, ditch or stream)
        3. bodily fluid (especially amniotic fluid)
        Derived terms
        Descendants
        • Afrikaans: water
        • Javindo: water
        • Negerhollands: watu, water, water, waeter
        • Petjo: watter
        • Skepi Creole Dutch: water
        • →? Sranan Tongo: watra
          • → Aukan: wataa
          • → Saramaccan: wáta

        Etymology 2

        See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

        Verb

        water

        1. inflection of wateren:
          1. first-person singular present indicative
          2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
          3. imperative

        Further reading

        • “water” in Van Dale Onlinewoordenboek, Van Dale Lexicografie, 2007.

        Anagrams

        • tarwe

        Dutch Low Saxon

        Alternative forms

        • wotter, woater, waoter

        Etymology

        From Old Saxon watar.

        Noun

        water

        1. (Drents, Twents) water

        See also

        • Water

        French

        Etymology

        Ellipsis of water-closet, borrowed from English water closet.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /wa.tɛʁ/

        Noun

        water m (plural waters)

        1. toilet, bathroom

        Synonyms

        • toilettes
        • toilette (Belgium)
        • waters
        • WC

        Derived terms

        • waters

        Further reading

        • “water”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

        Hawaiian Creole

        Etymology

        Derived from English water.

        Noun

        water

        1. (uncountable) water (a substance (of molecular formula H2O) found at room temperature and pressure as a clear liquid; it is present naturally as rain, and found in rivers, lakes and seas; its solid form is ice and its gaseous form is steam)

        Italian

        Etymology

        Pseudo-anglicism, a clipping of English water closet.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˈva.ter/
        • Rhymes: -ater

        Noun

        water m (invariable)

        1. toilet bowl
        2. (colloquial) water closet, toilet

        References

        Limburgish

        Alternative forms

        • Waater (Eupen, Krefeld)

        Etymology

          From Middle Dutch wāter, from Old Dutch watar, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥.

          Noun

          water n

          1. water
          2. body of water

          Derived terms

          • móndjwater

          References

          • Stefaan Top, Limburgs sagenboek (2004), page 45

          Middle Dutch

          Etymology

            From Old Dutch watar.

            Pronunciation

            • IPA(key): /ˈwaːtər/

            Noun

            wāter n

            1. water

            Inflection

            Descendants

            • Dutch: water
              • Afrikaans: water
              • Javindo: water
              • Negerhollands: watu, water, water, waeter
              • Petjo: watter
              • Skepi Creole Dutch: water
              • →? Sranan Tongo: watra
                • → Aukan: wataa
                • → Saramaccan: wáta
            • Limburgish: water
            • West Flemish: woater

            Further reading

            • “water”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
            • Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “water”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

            Middle English

            Alternative forms

            • watere, watir, waterre

            Etymology

              From Old English wæter, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr.

              Pronunciation

              • IPA(key): /ˈwatər/, /ˈwaːtər/

              Noun

              water (plural wateres)

              1. water (liquid H2O)
              2. water vapour, condensation
              3. lake, pond, ocean, canal, body of water
              4. water source, spring, well, fount
              5. solution, liquid mixture

              Quotations

              • For quotations using this term, see Citations:water.

              Derived terms

              • waterles

              Descendants

              • English: water (see there for further descendants)
              • Geordie English: watter, wetter
              • Scots: watter
              • Yola: waudher, wadher

              References

              • “wā̆ter, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-03-20.

              Middle Low German

              Etymology

              From Old Saxon watar.

              Pronunciation

              • (originally) IPA(key): /ˈwaːtər/

              Noun

              wāter n

              1. water

              Declension

              Descendants

              • German Low German: Water

              Occitan

              Etymology

              Shortened form of English water closet.

              Noun

              water m

              1. (colloquial) water closet, toilet, rest room

              Old English

              Pronunciation

              • IPA(key): /ˈwɑ.ter/

              Noun

              water n

              1. Alternative form of wæter

              Declension

              Strong a-stem:

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              Related Words

              watershed

              waters

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              This article based on an article on Wiktionary. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there. The original work has been modified. This article is distributed under the terms of this license.