Word: water Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Germanic *watōr Proto-West Germanic *watar Old English wæter Middle English water English 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 ujë (“water”) * Ancient Greek ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”) * Armenian գետ (get, “river”) * Sanskrit उदन् (udán, “wave, water”) * Hittite 𒉿𒀀𒋻 (wa-a-tar, “water”) Pronunciation: /ˈwɔ.tɚ/, [ˈwɔ.ɾɚ], /ˈwɑ.tɚ/, [ˈwɑ.ɾɚ], /ˈwɒ.tɚ/ 1. 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. Labels: uncountable Example: By the action of electricity, the water was resolved into its two parts, oxygen and hydrogen. Example: 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. 2. 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. Labels: uncountable Example: May I have a glass of water? Example: Your plants need more water. 3. 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. Labels: countable Example: Joe bustled back and offered her a glass of wine but she shook her head. “Just a water, please.” 4. The aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God. 5. Water in a body; an area of open water. Labels: in-plural, uncountable Example: Roſa. O vain peticioner, beg a greater matter, Thou now requeſts but Mooneſhine in the water. Example: '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. 6. A body of water, almost always a river, sometimes a lake or reservoir, especially in the names given to such bodies. Labels: archaic, countable, dialectal, poetic, uncountable Example: 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? Example: 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. 7. A combination of water and other substance(s). Labels: countable, sometimes Example: Perrier is the most popular water in this restaurant. 8. A combination of water and other substance(s). Labels: countable, in-plural, often Example: Many people visit Bath to take the waters. Example: 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. 9. A combination of water and other substance(s). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: ammonia water 10. A combination of water and other substance(s). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Ser Dunaver's squire Jodge could not hold his water when he slept. 11. A combination of water and other substance(s). Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s water breaks. (North America) Example: Before your child is born, your water(s) will break. (North America) 12. A combination of water and other substance(s). Labels: colloquial, countable, uncountable Example: He suffers from water on the knee. 13. The water supply, as a service or utility. Labels: attributive, countable, often, uncountable Example: The city threatened to cut off our water after we went only a month without paying our bill. Example: Did you leave the water running again? 14. A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition. Labels: countable, figuratively, in-plural, singular, uncountable Example: The rough waters of change will bring about the calm after the storm. Example: 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 annual meeting of China’s legislature. While such flights have fallen in the past during major events and public holidays, this year’s fall was more prominent than in the past. Analysts said the meeting could not be the sole reason behind the recent drop. Another potential factor could be a desire to calm the waters with Washington weeks before a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House has said that Trump would travel to China from March 31 to April 2, though Beijing has not officially confirmed that. 15. A person's intuition. Labels: colloquial, countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: I know he'll succeed. I feel it in my waters. 16. Excess valuation of securities. Labels: dated, uncountable Example: 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. Example: the outstanding stock and bond obligations of the company were reduced from $34,000,000 to $24,000,000 by squeezing out the water. 17. Something which dilutes, or has the effect of watering down. Labels: colloquial, countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: Thanks for the great video. No water, 100% substance! 18. A particular quality or appearance suggestive of water: Labels: countable, uncountable Example: a diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent Example: 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. 19. A particular quality or appearance suggestive of water: Labels: countable, uncountable