sewage
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of sewage
Explanation
The waste water that flows down drains and through pipes from toilets and sinks is called sewage. There's nothing quite like smelling sewage on a hot summer day. Have you ever wondered where the soapy, dirty water from your washing machine goes after your clothes are clean? It flows down the drain into a pipe, and is carried with other sewage out to the street and your city's wastewater system, or into a private septic tank. Sewage comes from the now-obsolete verb sew, "to drain or draw off water."
Vocabulary lists containing sewage
The Omnivore's Dilemma
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for June 8–June 14, 2025
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 9, Week 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
His diplomacy around fixing a busted sewage system might prove to be crucial to gaining club membership, members said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
A new sewage pump station will be built and installed across from Kushner’s home, and the club will allow landscaping on the golf course.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
The report says some of that difference can be explained by the fact that water and sewage services are publicly funded in Scotland, unlike in England and Wales.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
His job hauling buckets of sewage from the latrines was no fun.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
I told him that the sewage tank at the dock was broken, and how the crew of the Coral Queen had faked hooking up the hose to it.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
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.
