tap water

American  

noun

1. water, obtained directly from a faucet or tap, that has not been purified, distilled, or otherwise treated.

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tap water British  

noun

1. water drawn off through taps from pipes in a house, as distinguished from distilled water, mineral water, etc

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Etymology

Origin of tap water

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tap water

These brands have benefited from higher scrutiny of tap water.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Like most inhabitants of the village of Szada, 25 kilometres northwest of Budapest, their home has been without tap water for almost two days.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

Thousands of properties are still facing disruption to their tap water after days of supply problems.

From BBC ● May 31, 2026

Some areas get less than an hour of tap water a day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

Millard ran tap water into a glass and brought it to him, and Dad reached out and took it, as though floating glasses weren’t at all unusual.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs