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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.

septic tank British  

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of septic tank

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Septic System Septic tank system for sewage treatment.

From Textbooks • Sep. 6, 2018

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.