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catchment

American  
[kach-muhnt] / ˈkætʃ mənt /

noun

  1. the act of catching water.

  2. something for catching water, as a reservoir or basin.

  3. the water that is caught in such a catchment.


catchment British  
/ ˈkætʃmənt /

noun

  1. the act of catching or collecting water

  2. a structure in which water is collected

  3. the water so collected

  4. the intake of a school from one catchment area

"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

Etymology

Origin of catchment

First recorded in 1840–50; catch + -ment

Vocabulary lists containing catchment

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.

See Examples For:

The beavers are being monitored by rangers to understand how they settle, move through the catchment and shape the surrounding habitat.

From BBC Sep. 5, 2026

Water voles use to be fairly common in the Hogsmill River catchment but the species, immortalised as Ratty in The Wind in the Willows, was "locally extinct" until 2025.

From BBC Aug. 14, 2026

The firm added: "We are committed to making the Pang catchment a leading example of how partnership and community-led restoration can help chalk streams thrive."

From BBC Aug. 11, 2026

Blakesley, a catchment technician with South West Water, said the pair could not believe it when they saw the nest.

From BBC Jun. 23, 2026

“For one ting, we mils’ make another catchment ... an' we mus’ go to d reef for food . . . an' .

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor

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