aquifer

[ak-wuh-fer]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR aquifer ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any geological formation containing or conducting ground water, especially one that supplies the water for wells, springs, etc.

Origin of aquifer

1900–05; probably < French aquifère (adj.); see aqui-, -fer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for aquifer

aquifer, origin, root, source, beginning, fountainhead, sinkhole

Examples from the Web for aquifer

Contemporary Examples of aquifer

Palestinians are only allowed to dig wells 150 meters deep, but Israelis dig to the aquifer.
‘The Fading Valley’ Brings Jordan Valley Inequalities into Stark Relief
Matt Surrusco
November 20, 2013
In west-central Kansas, up to a fifth of the irrigated farmland along a 100-mile swath of the aquifer has already gone dry.
When the Wells Go Dry in the Great Plains
Justin Green
May 20, 2013
Vast stretches of Texas farmland lying over the aquifer no longer support irrigation.
When the Wells Go Dry in the Great Plains
Justin Green
May 20, 2013
Refilling the aquifer would require hundreds, if not thousands, of years of rains.
When the Wells Go Dry in the Great Plains
Justin Green
May 20, 2013
Improper mining could kill the Kabul River and poison the aquifer for generations to come.
Afghanistan’s Mineral Wealth Could Be a Bonanza—or Lead to Disaster
Dr. Cheryl Benard
July 4, 2012

Historical Examples of aquifer

And we know just what the strata formations are both below the reservoir and in the aquifer downstream.
The Thirst Quenchers
Rick Raphael
The aquifer dips toward the region of the wells from higher ground, where it outcrops and receives its water.
The Elements of Geology
William Harmon Norton
Which will supply the larger region with artesian wells, an aquifer whose dip is steep or one whose dip is gentle?
The Elements of Geology
William Harmon Norton

British Dictionary definitions for aquifer

aquifer

noun

a porous deposit of rock, such as a sandstone, containing water that can be used to supply wells

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

Word Origin and History for aquifer

1897, coined from Latin aqui-, comb. form of aqua "water" (see aqua-) + -fer "bearing," from ferre "to bear" (see infer).

aquifer in Science

aquifer

[ăk′wə-fər]

An underground layer of permeable rock, sediment (usually sand or gravel), or soil that yields water. The pore spaces in aquifers are filled with water and are interconnected, so that water flows through them. Sandstones, unconsolidated gravels, and porous limestones make the best aquifers. They can range from a few square kilometers to thousands of square kilometers in size.