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catchment

American  
[kach-muhnt] / ˈkætʃ mənt /

noun

  1. the act of catching water.

  2. something for catching water, as a reservoir or basin.

  3. the water that is caught in such a catchment.


catchment British  
/ ˈkætʃmənt /

noun

  1. the act of catching or collecting water

  2. a structure in which water is collected

  3. the water so collected

  4. the intake of a school from one catchment area

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of catchment

First recorded in 1840–50; catch + -ment

Vocabulary lists containing catchment

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.

"By working with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and other partners, we've been able to look closely at what beavers could mean for the Severn catchment, the opportunities they bring, as well as the challenges."

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Forestry England project lead, Hayley Dauben, said the animals would bring "lots of good benefits" to the Ehen and Calder catchment area.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

The plant is also being established elsewhere across the River Hull catchment, creating the wider network of wetland habitat that the swallowtail will eventually need.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

A report said parents and carers within the catchment appeared to have preferred to enrol their children at other nearby schools.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

It was a device that looked like an inverted umbrella with a good-sized catchment pouch and a connecting rubber tube.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel