bubbler
Americannoun
-
a drinking fountain that spouts water.
-
Chemistry. any device for bubbling gas through a liquid.
noun
-
a drinking fountain in which the water is forced in a stream from a small vertical nozzle
-
chem any device for bubbling gas through a liquid
Usage
What is a bubbler? Bubbler is a regional term for what’s more commonly called a drinking fountain or a water fountain—a device that ejects a fountainlike stream of water that can be drunk from without a cup. The word bubbler is typically only used this way in a few areas of the U. S., including Wisconsin and parts of New England. Bubbler is also used in other contexts to refer to a device that sends gas bubbles through a liquid. Such equipment may be used in chemistry experiments, for example. They’re sometimes called gas bubblers. An irrigation bubbler is a device used to water the soil around tree roots, typically as part of an irrigation system in an orchard. Example: The line to get a drink from the bubbler at the Sox game was wicked long.
Etymology
Origin of bubbler
Compare meaning
How does bubbler compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Sand bubbler crabs dip above and below the surface, leaving their intricate designs at the mercy of high tide and flip-flops.
From Washington Post • Sep. 16, 2022
The break room was a microwave atop a mini-fridge next to a water bubbler beside a conference table, in full view of the administrative offices.
From Slate • Aug. 27, 2022
He could have just installed a bubbler to keep his stored water aerated, but he figured, why not make it interesting?
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2022
The water is aerated with a bubbler so the algae rotates, allowing each plant time at the top of the tank to soak in the sun.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2022
He took in the eight-hundred-gallon aquarium coffee table with the four glowing pygmy sharks swimming circles around their bubbler.
From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson
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.
