aqueduct
Americannoun
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Civil Engineering.
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a conduit or artificial channel for conducting water from a distance, usually by means of gravity.
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a bridgelike structure that carries a water conduit or canal across a valley or over a river.
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Anatomy. a canal or passage through which liquids pass.
noun
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a conduit used to convey water over a long distance, either by a tunnel or more usually by a bridge
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a structure, usually a bridge, that carries such a conduit or a canal across a valley or river
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a channel in an organ or part of the body, esp one that conveys a natural body fluid
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.
Vocabulary lists containing aqueduct
Lead the Way: Duc and Duct
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Vocabulary from Beyoncé's "Lemonade"
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Elements of the Universe: Aqua ("Water")
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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.
Los Angeles draws less water from the valley now than it did in the 1970s, when the city built the second aqueduct.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2025
The turmoil in Istanbul played out in the shadow of a Roman aqueduct.
From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025
In the early 20th century, Los Angeles built a massive aqueduct to take water from the Owens Valley and soon dried up Owens Lake.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 8, 2025
When the aqueduct is running, those who enter the facility will hear the rumble of rushing water.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2025
The aqueduct is shaped like an upside-down trapezoid, with a steep downslope that abruptly levels off for twenty yards, then slopes upward again.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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.
