basin

American  

[bey-suhn] / ˈbeɪ sən /

noun

• basins
  plural

1. a circular container with a greater width than depth, becoming smaller toward the bottom, used chiefly to hold water or other liquid, especially for washing.

2. any container of similar shape, as the pan of a balance.

3. the quantity held by such a container.

   We need another basin of water to dilute the mixture.

4. a natural or artificial hollow place containing water.

5. a partially enclosed, sheltered area along a shore, often partly man-made or dredged to a greater depth, where boats may be moored.

   a yacht basin.

6. Geology. an area in which the strata dip from the margins toward a common center.

7. Physical Geography.

   1. a hollow or depression in the earth's surface, wholly or partly surrounded by higher land.

      river basin.

   2. drainage basin.

8. Botany. the depression in an apple, pear, or other pome at the end opposite the stem.

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basin British  

/ ˈbeɪsən /

noun

1. a round container open and wide at the top with sides sloping inwards towards the bottom or base, esp one in which liquids are mixed or stored

2. Also called: basinful.  the amount a basin will hold

3. a washbasin or sink

4. any partially enclosed or sheltered area where vessels may be moored or docked

5. the catchment area of a particular river and its tributaries or of a lake or sea

6. a depression in the earth's surface

7. geology a part of the earth's surface consisting of rock strata that slope down to a common centre

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basin Scientific  

/ bā′sĭn /

1. A region drained by a river and its tributaries.

2. A low-lying area on the Earth's surface in which thick layers of sediment have accumulated. Some basins are bowl-shaped while others are elongate. Basins form through tectonic processes, especially in fault-bordered intermontane areas or in areas where the Earth's crust has warped downwards. They are often a source of valuable oil.

3. An artificially enclosed area of a river or harbor designed so that the water level remains unaffected by tidal changes.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subbasin
  noun
• basinal
  adjective
• basined
  adjective
• basinlike
  adjective
• interbasin
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• basins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of basin

1175–1225; Middle English bacin < Old French < Late Latin bac ( c ) īnum ( bacc ( a ) water vessel, back ³ + -īnum -ine ¹ ); perhaps further related in Latin to beaker

Explanation

A basin is a container that holds water and is used for washing, but you probably just call it your bathroom sink. You can think of basinas something shaped like a bowl. If you're going for an old-fashioned ring, say "wash basin." If you’re in England, you might use a basin for cooking. The word basin also has various geological senses, particularly a depression in the ground or ocean floor. A basin is also the spot where a river drains — like the famed Mississippi River Basin. That’s one big bowl!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

basin basins

In summer, the area is frequently affected by the Washoe Zephyr, a gusty afternoon wind that descends from the Sierra Nevada mountains in the west, blowing across the high desert basin around Reno.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Under the new federal plan, the lower basin could have to cut consumption by up to 40% from allotted levels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

Each of the riders covers upward of 30 miles a day to treat every catch basin in the city’s urban and suburban areas, about 75,000 total, over the course of a month.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

"It's the start of the end of the fire -- but the start of the crisis," said Nina Rosazza, who runs a metal factory in the Arcachon basin near Bordeaux.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

As Mama bent over the wash basin on the floor to wring out a towel, Grandpa fixed his eyes on her.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

The largest losses occurred in heavily populated downstream basins where irrigation demands are high, including the Ganges-Brahmaputra, Indus and Amu Darya basins.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

Before the war, Iryna Terekh’s small business made outdoor furniture and ornaments such as benches, flower pots and wash basins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

Together, the evidence from several ocean basins connected movements of the Southern Ocean front with changes in Atlantic temperature layers and overturning circulation.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Salt production began in Ulcinj almost a century ago, when the natural lagoon was transformed into a network of shallow evaporating basins.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

From the washroom nearby came the sound of running water and rattling basins.

From "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• bowl
• lagoon
• pan
• pool
• pot
• tub
• valley
• watershed