faucet
Americannoun
-
faucets
plural
noun
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a tap fitted to a barrel
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Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): tap. a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orifice
Regionalisms
Spigot is a common variant for faucet and is widely used in the Midland U.S. Elsewhere, faucet is more commonly used, especially in the Northern U.S.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of faucet
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French fausset peg for a vent, perhaps equivalent to fauss ( er ) to force in, damage, warp, literally, to falsify (< Late Latin falsāre; see false) + -et -et
Explanation
Water comes out of your faucet and into your sink or bathtub. A faucet is a device that allows you to turn the flow of water on and off. The faucet is not just the metal part that the water comes through, it is the whole mechanism for controlling the flow of water. If you cry easily, someone might say you are a regular faucet. This is because water comes out of your eyes more often than it does for most people. If you ask your parents a little too often for cash, they might joke that they're going to turn off the money faucet.
Vocabulary lists containing faucet
Unit 15, Lessons 1–2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That will help you realize things like this faucet doesn’t get hot water or I forgot to put an ice cream scoop in the kitchen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
“Even if there is a good resolution, this isn’t a faucet that can turn back on. We don’t have a peace button you can push to restart those wells.”
From Barron's ● Apr. 15, 2026
Door handles, faucet knobs, and flush levers tend to be more contaminated because they are frequently touched, often with unwashed hands.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 13, 2026
GENEVA, Ill.—Wielding a faucet hose, Beto “Rodrigo” Mejía Fermine blasted the remains of avocado toast and turkey gravy off stacks of plates hurriedly delivered by servers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
True, the faucet in the bathroom still leaked.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
In a neighborhood flanked by grapevines and orange groves on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley, people cannot drink the water from their faucets because it’s contaminated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
For the hardware, the couple will be replacing the existing silver-toned metal with gold, including new faucets, new drawer handles, and new knobs for the cupboards.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 8, 2026
Toilets lacked basic items such as soap, while water gushing from the faucets was tinged brown.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
Las Flores has recommended to customers that when they resume using water, they take various steps to flush the household system, including running all the faucets for at least five minutes before using.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2025
I made sure none of the faucets were dripping.
From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
