watercourse

American  

[waw-ter-kawrs, -kohrs, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tərˌkɔrs, -ˌkoʊrs, ˈwɒt ər- /

noun

1. a stream of water, as a river or brook.

2. the bed of a stream that flows only seasonally.

3. a natural channel conveying water.

4. a channel or canal made for the conveyance of water.

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watercourse British  

/ ˈwɔːtəˌkɔːs /

noun

1. a stream, river, or canal

2. the channel, bed, or route along which this flows

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Etymology

Origin of watercourse

First recorded in 1500–10; water + course

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

watercourse

But decades of over-use, coupled with years of drought, have put crippling strain on a watercourse whose management has always been based on an over-allocation of available resources.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

Some have even ditched fishing altogether because it is more profitable to sell the plastic waste they trawl out of the river, the world's second-most powerful watercourse after the Amazon.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

According to the Environment Agency, electric bikes pose a pollution risk because the batteries contain substances that can enter a watercourse if they remain submerged in water.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2025

Some advocates have suggested restoring Mexico City’s last remaining natural watercourse, the Magdalena River, but that would have to contend with pollution along the river’s entire length from its source west of the capital.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 18, 2023

The road was more like a watercourse than a highway.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman