aqueduct

American  

[ak-wi-duhkt] / ˈæk wɪˌdʌkt /

noun

• aqueducts
  plural

1. Civil Engineering.

   1. a conduit or artificial channel for conducting water from a distance, usually by means of gravity.

   2. a bridgelike structure that carries a water conduit or canal across a valley or over a river.

2. Anatomy. a canal or passage through which liquids pass.

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aqueduct British  

/ ˈækwɪˌdʌkt /

noun

1. a conduit used to convey water over a long distance, either by a tunnel or more usually by a bridge

2. a structure, usually a bridge, that carries such a conduit or a canal across a valley or river

3. a channel in an organ or part of the body, esp one that conveys a natural body fluid

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aqueducts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of aqueduct

< Medieval Latin aquēductus < Latin aquae ductus a drawing off of water. See aqua, duct

Explanation

An aqueduct is a bridge-like system built to move water from one location to another. The ancient Romans were particularly famous for their aqueducts and some still stand today. The Romans didn't invent aqueducts, but they did help spawn the English word for one. Aqueduct comes from the Latin word aquæductus, which itself is from the roots aqua, meaning water, and ducere, meaning "to lead." Because of the root word aqua, there is a tendency to try to spell aqueduct with an A in place of the E, but now you'll know better.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aqueduct aqueducts

Fencing exists along the aqueduct and MWD facilities “to prevent unauthorized access,” and signage warns about the dangers of entering the canal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

Located in the middle of Mexico, Querétaro is a charming and colourful colonial-style city known for its dazzling stone aqueduct.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2025

Because the water flows by gravity, without the need for pumping, the aqueduct has remained the city’s most economical supply.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2025

Speaking hypothetically, Upadhyay said, if engineers had another shot at designing and building the aqueduct now using modern technology, it’s hard to say if they would end up choosing the same route through Mt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2025

The city’s aqueduct collapsed like a line of children’s blocks.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

They were ancient Italy’s first great engineers, ambitious road-builders who drained land for development and showed the Romans how to build their famous aqueducts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Over the last century, Southern California has grown and thrived thanks to giant aqueducts it built to bring water from hundreds of miles away — the Eastern Sierra, the Colorado River and Northern California.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2026

Even during periods of low flow, pumps at the southern end of the delta that feed the aqueducts could operate longer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

The museum suffered damage, its windows were blown out, but the explosion did not reach the necropolis nor the Roman-era triumphal arch, aqueducts and hippodrome that are also part of the site.

From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026

“It would help, but I’m pretty sure I have the waterways memorized. There’s a map with the aqueducts and drainage channels all marked up in our garage.”

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman