water

Syllables: wa·ter/ˈwɔ.tɚ/

More pronunciations (2)Fewer pronunciations

cot caught merger/ˈwɑ.tɚ/

water noun: an inorganic compound (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.

Image: Walter J. Pilsak, Waldsassen, Germany, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

water (countable and uncountable, plural waters)

(uncountable) An inorganic compound (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.
- By the action of electricity, the water was resolved into its two parts, oxygen and hydrogen.
- It is wholly out of the power of language to convey any idea of the blissful enjoyment of obtaining water, after an almost total want of it, during eight and forty hours, in the scorching regions of an Arabian desert, in the month of July.1805 December, Julius Griffiths, “A Journey across the Desert”, in The Monthly Mirror, page 362
1. (uncountable) The liquid form of this substance: liquid H₂O.
  - May I have a glass of water?
  - Your plants need more water.
2. (countable) A serving of liquid water.
  - Joe bustled back and offered her a glass of wine but she shook her head. “Just a water, please.”2006, Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Amy Garvey, Bad Boys of Summer, →ISBN, page 91
The aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.
- He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God.
(in plural, uncountable) Water in a body; an area of open water.
- Roſa. O vain peticioner, beg a greater matter,
  Thou now requeſts but Mooneſhine in the water.c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
- 'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC
(archaic, dialectal, poetic) A body of water, almost always a river, sometimes a lake or reservoir, especially in the names given to such bodies.
- And as they went on their waye
  they cam vnto a certayne water
  and the gelded man ſayde: Se here is water
  what ſhall lett me to be baptiſed?1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts viij:[36], folio clxvi, recto
- When the man rode off with the silver jug from the beautiful maiden, who presented it to him, an old crone set off in pursuit of him with such velocity, that she would surely have caught him, but that providentially he came to a running water.1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 183
(countable, sometimes) Mineral water.
- Perrier is the most popular water in this restaurant.
(countable, in plural, often) Spa water; hot springs.
- Many people visit Bath to take the waters.
- Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
  Captain Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.
  Rick: I was misinformed.1942, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch, Casablanca
(pharmacy) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance.
- ammonia water
Urine.
- Ser Dunaver's squire Jodge could not hold his water when he slept.1999, George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam, published 2011, page 458
Synonyms:

body fluid, bodily fluid, biofluid, emiction, lant, netting, pee, peepee, piss, sig
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.)
- Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s water breaks. (North America)
- Before your child is born, your water(s) will break. (North America)
Synonyms:

bag of waters
(colloquial) A fluid that causes swelling.
- He suffers from water on the knee.
(attributive, often) The water supply, as a service or utility.
- The city threatened to cut off our water after we went only a month without paying our bill.
- Did you leave the water running again?
(figuratively, in plural, singular) A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition.
- The rough waters of change will bring about the calm after the storm.
- Taiwan didn’t report any Chinese military planes that went beyond the median line and entered the zone for a week from Feb. 27 to March 5. After two were detected on March 6, the next four days had none. Such flights resumed in small numbers between Wednesday and Friday.
  The drop coincided with the...2026 March 15, “Taiwan reports large-scale Chinese military aircraft presence near island”, in Politico, sourced from Associated Press, archived from the original on 15 Mar 2026

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(colloquial, figuratively) A person's intuition.
- I know he'll succeed. I feel it in my waters.
Synonyms:

bones
(dated, uncountable) Excess valuation of securities.
- Iowa Governor Will Fight Rock Island Reorganization. He Says That Under the New Plan Too Much Water Is Put Into the Stock—Believes Plan Is Out of Harmony with Iowa Laws.1902 August 2, “Too Much Water to Suit Cummins”, in The Atlanta Constitution
- the outstanding stock and bond obligations of the company were reduced from $34,000,000 to $24,000,000 by squeezing out the water.1920 April 11, “Says Stock 'Water' Didn't Affect Fare”, in New York Times
(colloquial, figuratively) Something which dilutes, or has the effect of watering down.
- Thanks for the great video. No water, 100% substance!
The limpidity and lustre of a precious stone, especially a diamond.
- a diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent
- And when she raised it to see what caused this agitation, she saw nothing—nothing but the vast solitary emerald which Queen Elizabeth had given her. And was that not enough? she asked. It was of the finest water.1928, Virginia Woolf, Orlando: A Biography, London: The Hogarth Press, →OCLC; republished as Orlando: A Biography (eBook no. 0200331h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, July 2015
A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc.

Verb

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

(transitive) To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate.
- tears watering the ground1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
- Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands.1847 November 1, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline, a Tale of Acadie, Boston, Mass.: William D. Ticknor & Company, →OCLC, part I
1. (transitive) To pour water into the soil surrounding (plants).
  - Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her.1900, L. Frank Baum, chapter 24, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
2. (transitive) To provide (animals) with water for drinking.
  - I need to water the cattle.
  - While they watered and washed their horses, I talked with a red-capped man, some kind of chief.2008, Oisin Curran, Mopus, page 34
3. (transitive) To provide water to (someone).
  - We fed and watered the refugees.
4. (colloquial, transitive) To urinate onto.
  - Nature called, so I stepped into the woods and watered a tree.
(intransitive) To fill with or secrete water or similar liquid.
- Chopping onions makes my eyes water.
- The smell of fried onions makes my mouth water.
(intransitive) To get or take in water.
- The ship put into port to water.
- After working the 1.30 p.m. through train from Forres to Aberdeen as far as Elgin, she returns tender first with a local passenger train and is then coaled and watered at Forres shed, and eventually works back to Perth on the 10.20 p.m. through freight.1944 January and February, W. McGowan Gradon, “Forres as a Railway Centre”, in Railway Magazine, page 23
1. (intransitive) To gather water.
  - We stopped at the same well we watered at on the last journey.
2. (intransitive, often, transitive, with-down) To dilute.
  - Can you water the whisky, please?
(transitive) To treat with water.
- The town waters the dirt road for dust prevention.
1. (often, transitive) To extinguish (a fire) with water.
  - The firefighters watered out the fire.
  - Fill the tank so you can water the fire.
2. (transitive) To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines.
  - to water silk
(dated, transitive) To overvalue (securities), especially through deceptive accounting.
- such agencies would make it possible for the railroads to water stock and evade the law subjecting security issues to public regulation1930 April 10, “Calls Rail Holding Companies Threat”, in The Sun

Proper noun capitalized: Water

Water

A hamlet in Manaton parish, Teignbridge district, Devon, England (OS grid ref SX7580).
A hamlet on the B6238 Burnley Road in Rossendale borough, Lancashire, England (OS grid ref SD8425).
A barangay of Baco, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines (unconfirmed).
A surname

water meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

water in Hindi

inorganic compound H₂O: पानी pānī, जल jal, आब āb, पाणी pāṇī, नीर nīr, उदक udak
body of water, or specific part of it: जल jal
urine: मूत्र mūtra

water in Tamil

inorganic compound H₂O: தண்ணீர் taṇṇīr, நீர் nīr
medical: fluids in the body, especially when causing swelling — see also humor: நீர் nīr
one of the basic elements: நீர் nīr
body of water, or specific part of it: நீர்நிலை nīrnilai

water in Marathi

inorganic compound H₂O: पाणी pāṇī, जल jal

water in Urdu

inorganic compound H₂O: پانی pānī, آب āb, جل jal

More languagesFewer languages

water in Bengali: পানি pani, জল jol, বারি bari
water in Telugu: నీరు nīru, జలము jalamu, సీసా నీళ్ళు sīsā nīḷḷu, జలాలు jalālu
water in Malayalam: ജലം jalaṁ, വെള്ളം veḷḷaṁ
water in Kannada: ನೀರು nīru
water in Punjabi: ਪਾਣੀ pāṇī, ਜਲ jal, ਆਬ āba
water in Gujarati: પાણી pāṇī
water in Odia: ଜଳ jaḷa, ପାଣି pāṇi
water in Sanskrit: अप् ap, जल jala, पानीय pānīya
water in Sinhala: ජලය jalaya, වතුර watura
water in Assamese: পানী pani
water in Nepali: पानी pānī, जल jal
water in Pashto: اوبه
water in Tagalog: tubig, magdilig, diligan, magpainom
water in Arabic: مَاء māʔ, مية máyya, امبو ʔumbū, ماي māy
water in Malay: air, perairan, siram
water in Indonesian: air, perairan, siram, beri minum
water in Persian: آب āb, اَو aw, او ow
water in Thai: น้ำ náam, ชล chon, รด rót
water in Vietnamese: nước, thuỷ, tưới
water in Myanmar: ရေ re
Sindhi: پاڻي pāṇī, آب āb
Dhivehi: ފެން fen̊
Kashmiri: آب āb, پونؠ pōn', زَل zal, आब āb
Dzongkha: ཆུ chu

Examples of water in a sentence

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
The boat was found within the territorial waters.
These seals are a common sight in the coastal waters of Chile.
Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s waters break. (UK)
Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1, pages 284–5:
Of all the transitions brought about on the Earth’s surface by temperature change, the melting of ice into water is the starkest.2013 May 11, “The climate of Tibet: Pole-land”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8835, archived from the original on 10 Mar 2023, page...

All 40 example sentences with water

Synonyms of water

21 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

refine

All synonyms and antonyms of water

Forms of water

Noun
plural	waters
alternative pronunciation-spelling	wahter
alternative pronunciation-spelling	wahtuh
Verb
third-person singular present	waters
present participle	watering
past participle	watered
past	watered

Past tense of water: watered

Plural of water: waters

Origin of water

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”). Cognates * Scots watter (“water”) * Yola wadher, waudher (“water”) * North Frisian waar, weeder, weeter, woar, woor, wååder, wåår (“water”) * Saterland Frisian Woater (“water”) * West Frisian wetter (“water”) * Cimbrian bassar, bazzar (“water”) * Dutch water (“water”) * Dutch Low Saxon water, wotter (“water”) * German Wasser (“water”) * German Low German Water, Woter (“water”) * Gottscheerish boßər, bàsser (“water”) * Limburgish Waater, water (“water”) * Luxembourgish Waasser (“water”) * Mòcheno bòsser (“water”) * Vilamovian woser (“water”) * West Flemish woater (“water”) * Yiddish וואַסער (vaser, “water”) * Danish vand (“water”) * Elfdalian wattn (“water”) * Faroese vatn (“water”) * Icelandic vatn (“water”) * Norwegian Nynorsk vatn (“water”) * Norwegian Bokmål vann (“water”) * Swedish vatten (“water”) * Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐍄𐍉 (watō, “water”) * Old Irish coin fodorne (“otters”, literally “water-dogs”) * Latin unda (“wave”) * Lithuanian vanduõ (“water”) * Polish woda (“water”) * Russian вода́ (vodá, “water”) * Albanian...

From Middle English wateren, from Old English wæterian, from Proto-Germanic *watrōną, *watrijaną, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”). Cognates Cognate with Scots watter (“water”), Saterland Frisian woaterje (“to water”), West Frisian wetterje (“to water”), Dutch wateren (“to water”), German Low German watern (“to water”), German wässern (“to water”), Danish vande (“to water”), Swedish vattna (“to water”), Icelandic vatna (“to water”).

* As an English surname, from the medieval pronunciation of the name Walter. * As an English and German surname, from the noun water. * As an Irish surname, adopted as a translation from Ó Fuartháin (see Foran), mistaken for Ó Fuaruisce (“descendant of cold water”), from fuar + uisce.

Words formed from water

Phrases with water

183 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with water

Questions about water

What does water mean?: Water means an inorganic compound (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.
What is water in Hindi?: Water in Hindi is पानी (pānī), जल (jal), आब (āb). See Water meaning in Hindi.
How do you use water in a sentence?: And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
What part of speech is water?: Water can be a noun, a verb or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce water?: Water is pronounced /ˈwɔ.tɚ/.
What is the plural of water?: The plural of water is waters.

Words near water in the dictionary

Adapted from Wiktionary: water (page history and authors); Water (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Nail123Real-water.wav, LL-Q1860 (eng)-Byrhtnoð-water.wav, En-uk-water.ogg.

Cite this entry: “water.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/water. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.