basin

American  

[bay-suhn] / ˈbeɪ sən /

noun

• basins
  plural

1. a circular container with a greater width than depth, becoming smaller toward the bottom, used chiefly to hold water or other liquid, especially for washing.

2. any container of similar shape, as the pan of a balance.

3. the quantity held by such a container.

   We need another basin of water to dilute the mixture.

4. a natural or artificial hollow place containing water.

5. a partially enclosed, sheltered area along a shore, often partly man-made or dredged to a greater depth, where boats may be moored.

   a yacht basin.

6. Geology. an area in which the strata dip from the margins toward a common center.

7. Physical Geography.

   1. a hollow or depression in the earth's surface, wholly or partly surrounded by higher land.

      river basin.

   2. drainage basin.

8. Botany. the depression in an apple, pear, or other pome at the end opposite the stem.

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basin British  

/ ˈbeɪsən /

noun

1. a round container open and wide at the top with sides sloping inwards towards the bottom or base, esp one in which liquids are mixed or stored

2. Also called: basinful. the amount a basin will hold

3. a washbasin or sink

4. any partially enclosed or sheltered area where vessels may be moored or docked

5. the catchment area of a particular river and its tributaries or of a lake or sea

6. a depression in the earth's surface

7. geology a part of the earth's surface consisting of rock strata that slope down to a common centre

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basin Scientific  

/ bā′sĭn /

1. A region drained by a river and its tributaries.

2. A low-lying area on the Earth's surface in which thick layers of sediment have accumulated. Some basins are bowl-shaped while others are elongate. Basins form through tectonic processes, especially in fault-bordered intermontane areas or in areas where the Earth's crust has warped downwards. They are often a source of valuable oil.

3. An artificially enclosed area of a river or harbor designed so that the water level remains unaffected by tidal changes.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subbasin
  noun
• basinal
  adjective
• basined
  adjective
• basinlike
  adjective
• interbasin
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• basins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of basin

1175–1225; Middle English bacin < Old French < Late Latin bac ( c ) īnum ( bacc ( a ) water vessel, back ³ + -īnum -ine ¹ ); perhaps further related in Latin to beaker

Explanation

A basin is a container that holds water and is used for washing, but you probably just call it your bathroom sink. You can think of basinas something shaped like a bowl. If you're going for an old-fashioned ring, say "wash basin." If you’re in England, you might use a basin for cooking. The word basin also has various geological senses, particularly a depression in the ground or ocean floor. A basin is also the spot where a river drains — like the famed Mississippi River Basin. That’s one big bowl!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

basin basins

The deal is immediately accretive and the basin has significant technical and operational parallels to the U.K.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

The water level monitoring station for the lake is now so far out of the remaining basin that Durig does the measurements manually.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

The animals were mostly found in the Brentford Lock basin, where the Grand Union Canal meets the River Thames.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

These sites extend from tropical waters into higher latitudes, giving scientists a broad view of changes across the basin.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

He put the lid on the basin and shouted, "Soup for the big party all ready to go out!"

From "The Witches" by Roald Dahl

Gulf Coast refineries benefit from lower-cost crude coming from Texas oil basins such as the Permian and Eagle Ford.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

In a study of 916 seawater samples from six ocean basins, nearly 80% of identifiable fibers were cellulosic—including cotton—another 12% were wool or silk and just 8% were synthetic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

New dams and debris basins turned the vast natural waterways and springs and creeks of old L.A. into a chutes-and-ladders system to divert and hold back water and mud, before the next time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

For a seventh year in a row, the number of river basins globally experiencing "normal" conditions were in a clear minority in 2025.

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

The argument between Mr. and Mrs. Dalai was still more or less in effect early the next morning, when a barefoot team of workmen came to install the basins.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Related Words

• bowl
• lagoon
• pan
• pool
• pot
• tub
• valley
• watershed