groundwater

American  

[ground-waw-ter, -woter] / ˈgraʊndˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒtər /

Also ground water

noun

1. the water beneath the surface of the ground, consisting largely of surface water that has seeped down: the source of water in springs and wells.

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groundwater Scientific  

/ ground′wô′tər /

1. Water that collects or flows beneath the Earth's surface, filling the porous spaces in soil, sediment, and rocks. Groundwater originates from rain and from melting snow and ice and is the source of water for aquifers, springs, and wells. The upper surface of groundwater is the water table.

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groundwater Cultural  

1. Water that seeps through the soil or rocks underground.

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Discover More

Groundwater can be contaminated by chemical pollutants. (See water pollution.)

Groundwater is a source of drinking and spring water for many communities.

Etymology

Origin of groundwater

First recorded in 1885–90; ground ¹ ( def. ) + water ( def. )

Example Sentences

For the first time, growers in one of California’s most acutely water-stressed areas have to reveal how much groundwater they are pumping.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

More than 2,000 landowners had to report their groundwater use over the last year by the May 1 deadline.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

They wonder if toxic materials could leach into the soil and contaminate groundwater, if not while the solar site is operational, then some decades in the future, when it reaches the end of its life.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2026

"In many places, groundwater extraction, sediment starvation, and rapid urbanization are causing land to sink much faster than previously recognized," Ohenhen said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

Water was still being cycled through to keep the fuel cool, but groundwater also seeped into the buildings.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland