aquifer

American  

[ak-wuh-fer] / ˈæk wə fər /

noun

• aquifers
  plural

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

---

aquifer British  

/ ˈækwɪfə /

noun

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

---

aquifer Scientific  

/ ăk′wə-fər /

1. 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.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aquifers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of aquifer

First recorded in 1900–05; probably from French aquifère (adjective); see aqui-, -fer

Explanation

An aquifer is an underground water supply — one found in porous rock, sand, gravel, or the like. Your town might get its water from a lake, river, reservoir, aquifer, or some other source. Aquifer is from the Latin aqua ("water") and ferre ("to bear") — an aquifer literally bears water. Some aquifers are massive, such as the Ogallala Aquifer in the United States that stretches across parts of eight states from South Dakota to Texas. But not massive enough — we're draining them faster than the water can be replenished.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aquifer aquifers

Residents feared the project would strain the electrical grid and drain their local aquifer.

From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026

In California, the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act set requirements for local agencies to curb overpumping and stabilize aquifer levels by 2040.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

In neighbouring Norway, the world's first commercial CO2 transport and storage service, dubbed Northern Lights, carried out its first CO2 injection in August into an aquifer 110 kilometers off Bergen on the western coast.

From Barron's ● Dec. 22, 2025

Meanwhile, Hull aquifer levels were at 49.4% - up from 46.6%.

From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2025

“Where does all the water come from? The Court is on a hill, so where’s the aquifer or aqueduct to bring the water up?”

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

This year, drought has not developed as quickly because heavy rainfall recharged our aquifers, rivers and reservoirs during a very wet autumn and winter.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Furthermore, the centers’ cooling systems need a lot of water, draining local aquifers and water tables, with the more efficient systems still requiring significant amounts.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026

“There’s a climate change use case—you can track the depletion of aquifers, which can predict when droughts are going to happen,” the CEO continued.

From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026

Excessive pumping of groundwater has led to long-term declines in about 70% of the world’s major aquifers, and in many areas these declines are causing the land to sink.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026

There is also much promise in studies of the Basin's aquifers being carried out by the U.S.

From The Nation's River A report on the Potomac from the U.S. Department of the Interior by United States. Dept. of the Interior.

Related Words

• water level