pond

American  

[pond] / pɒnd /

noun

ponds plural

1. a body of water smaller than a lake, sometimes artificially formed, as by damming a stream.

2. Informal. the pond, the Atlantic Ocean.

   American companies are finding business is different on the other side of the pond.

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verb (used without object)

1. (especially of water) to collect into a pond or large puddle.

   to prevent rainwater from ponding on the roof.

pond British  

/ pɒnd /

noun

1. 1. a pool of still water, often artificially created

   2. ( in combination )

      a fishpond

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pond Scientific  

/ pŏnd /

1. An inland body of standing water that is smaller than a lake. Natural ponds form in small depressions and are usually shallow enough to support rooted vegetation across most or all of their areas.

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pond Idioms  

1. see big fish in a small pond; little frog in a big pond.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ponds
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pond

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ponde, pande, akin to Old English pynding “dam,” gepyndan “to impound.” See pound ³

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pond ponds

"They make it to the finals, you're gonna make the trip across the pond?"

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026

Housley noted that the home’s natural pond sold them, adding that they hope to stock it with fish.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026

They can be compared to ripples spreading across a pond after a stone is dropped into the water.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 2, 2026

“It is unnecessary that we have to have this pond deemed a high security risk. That is weird.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

The musk ox was standing beside a pond, staring lovingly at his own reflection.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

This type of lithium removal is different from traditional hardrock mining or evaporation ponds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Outside, with complete rods, we cast on ponds as a resident bald eagle circled overhead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

"It started with a few wildlife ponds, seeing what we can do for enhancing grasslands, and then it came to, 'Shall we reroute the river?',"

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

When goldfish are released into ponds, rivers, or lakes, or escape during flooding events, they can establish invasive populations and spread quickly.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 26, 2026

When the waters receded, the area’s original inhabitants ensured that the fish drained into hundreds of artificial fish ponds.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• basin
• lagoon
• pool
• puddle