septic tank

American  

[sep-tik tangk] / ˈsɛp tɪk ˌtæŋk /

noun

1. a tank, often underground, in which organic sewage is decomposed and purified by anaerobic bacteria.

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septic tank British  

noun

1. a tank, usually below ground, for containing sewage to be decomposed by anaerobic bacteria

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Etymology

Origin of septic tank

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Decommissioning his old cesspool and buying the new septic tank already cost almost $10,000, he said, and installation and testing could easily triple that.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

At one point, the cave faced a potential threat when someone attempted to develop the land and convert the cave into a septic tank.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

Tougher controls over the spreading of sewage and septic tank sludge to land as fertiliser in farming are also proposed, as are limits on using digestate from anaerobic digestion plants.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

She’s renovating the property to bring it up to seismic and ADA standards, harden it against wildfires and install a septic tank for a guest house.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2025

And Sophie still treated me as if I’d crawled in from the septic tank.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• cesspool
• sewer