sprinkler
Americannoun
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sprinklers
plural
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any of various devices for sprinkling, as a watering pot, a container of water with a perforated top used to sprinkle clothes before ironing, or especially a perforated ring or small stand with a revolving nozzle to which a hose is attached for watering a lawn with a fine, even spray.
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a person who sprinkles.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a device perforated with small holes that is attached to a garden hose or watering can and used to spray plants, lawns, etc, with water
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a person or thing that sprinkles
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See sprinkler system
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sprinkler
Explanation
A sprinkler is a garden device that sprays water onto your grass or plants. You can attach a small lawn sprinkler to a hose in your yard when your flowers are looking droopy. Sprinklers are mainly used to irrigate, or provide water, to plants. There are complex systems of sprinklers that can be installed in the ground for a large area, like a public park or an estate's acres of lawns. The more common type of sprinkler hooks up to a hose and can be moved wherever it's needed — including in the middle of a yard for kids to run through in their bathing suits.
Vocabulary lists containing sprinkler
"Water at Work"
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1.7.B Using Ice to Keep Orange Groves Warm
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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:
It started appearing in my parents’ pantry in Costco two-packs, usually beside gigantic cases of bottled water, enough paper towels to absorb a malfunctioning sprinkler system and gallon-sized jugs of olive oil.
From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026
The report states that there was no functioning smoke detection, fire alarms or sprinkler system.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
Sarah Godwin has invested £15,000 in a ventilation and sprinkler system at her farm near Chippenham, Wiltshire, to help her animals cope with the "nearly continuous heatwave we are living through".
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Instead, the sprinkler system activates and floods the entire house, turning a contained problem into widespread damage.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
A sprinkler was going on Jim Hirsshom’s lawn; Bernabe accorded the office a lackluster birdie as he glided slowly by, pinned down now in the tourist traffic, all but immersed in adobe dust.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
She had to set up automatic sprinklers to keep the outdoor plants alive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
After the final whistle, Mourinho ran on to the pitch to celebrate with his players, and the Camp Nou sprinklers were turned on while Inter were celebrating.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
During the fire’s rapid spread, the water system quickly lost pressure as crews drew heavily on hydrants, residents ran sprinklers and hoses, and water gushed out of melted pipes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
It was blamed in part on the building’s highly flammable cladding and lack of alarms, sprinklers and a fire escape.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
A tire alarm goes off and the sprinklers switch on, drenching everyone.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
