tap water

American

noun

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

tap water British

noun

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

"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 tap water

First recorded in 1880–85

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.

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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

The installation of lead service lines was banned nationwide in 1986, but millions of homes still receive tap water through them.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

When he needed to say something he’d pour it out as warm as tap water.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia

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