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Synonyms

water system

American  

noun

  1. a river and all its branches.

  2. a system of supplying water, as throughout a metropolitan area.


water system British  

noun

  1. a river and all its tributaries

  2. a system for supplying water to a community

"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 water system

First recorded in 1825–35

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.

“If we can’t depend on reliable long-term snowpack and snowmelt later in the year, we’re going to have to do other things to make our water system more resilient.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

A water system irrigates the plants via a nutrient substrate, a liquid fertiliser that replaces the nutrients and minerals naturally present in the soil.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Altadena, has called for improving the water system to make it more resilient as the community rebuilds.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2026

He had obtained leaked reports which showed experts were warning about the safety of the water system even as the hospital was accepting its first patients.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026

They were digging trenches for a water system that would double the size of the camp.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson