sewer

¹ American  

[soo-er] / ˈsu ər /

noun

1. an artificial conduit, usually underground, for carrying off waste water and refuse, as in a town or city.

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verb (used with object)

1. to provide or equip with sewers.

   a tax increase necessary to sewer the neighborhood.

sewer ² American  

[soh-er] / ˈsoʊ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that sews.

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sewer ³ American  

[soo-er] / ˈsu ər /

noun

1. a former household officer or head servant in charge of the service of the table.

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sewer ¹ British  

/ ˈsuːə /

noun

1. a drain or pipe, esp one that is underground, used to carry away surface water or sewage

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verb

1. (tr) to provide with sewers

sewer ² British  

/ ˈsəʊə /

noun

1. a person or thing that sews

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sewer ³ British  

/ ˈsuːə /

noun

1. (in medieval England) a servant of high rank in charge of the serving of meals and the seating of guests

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Other Word Forms

• sewerless
  adjective
• sewerlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sewer¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English suer(e) “drainage ditch,” from dialectal Old French se(u)wiere “overflow channel, pond sluice” (compare Old French ess(e)ouer(e) “ditch”), from unrecorded Vulgar Latin exaquāria “drain for carrying water off,” equivalent to Latin ex- “out of, away” + aquāria “pertaining to water” (feminine singular of aquārius ); see -ary ( def. ), -er ², sew ²

Origin of sewer²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English sewer(e), souere, sower; sew ¹, -er ¹

Origin of sewer³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English sever(e), sewerer “attendant who served or tasted his master's food,” shortened form of Anglo-French asseour “one who sets the table, seater,” equivalent to Old French asse(oir) “to seat” (from Latin assidēre “to attend upon”) + -our; see assiduous, -or ²)

Explanation

Like so many superheroes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live in a sewer, the system that carries waste and water from buildings, houses, and mad scientists’ labs. The water that runs down a storm drain also ends up in a sewer. After you take a shower, or wash dishes, or flush the toilet, that used waste water runs through pipes away from your house. It travels either to a small septic system, or to a larger, city-wide sewer system, where it's treated to make it safe and clean enough to release into the environment. The origin of sewer can be traced to the Old North French sewiere, "sluice from a pond," or "something that makes water flow."

Example Sentences

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection manages the city's water supply and wastewater infrastructure, including thousands of miles of sewer lines and about 100,000 active manholes, according to its website.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

The worst-case scenario, many said, would be fixing up their septic system to meet current requirements, and subsequently having to pay for the sewer line installation and connection later on.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

In Von Ormy, just outside of San Antonio, the town still doesn’t have a sewer system 18 years after it was created, relying entirely on septic tanks.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

The state government established what was called a “concurrency doctrine,” instituting strict requirements for infrastructure development—water, sewer, schooling—that had to be established before construction permits were granted.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

No plagues rain down upon museum employees; Marie-Laure does not succumb to snakebite or tumble into a sewer and break her back.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• gutter
• septic tank
• sewage system