water table
Americannoun
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the planar, underground surface beneath which earth materials, as soil or rock, are saturated with water.
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Architecture. a projecting stringcourse or similar structural member placed so as to divert rainwater from a building.
noun
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the surface of the water-saturated part of the ground, usually following approximately the contours of the overlying land surface
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an offset or string course that has a moulding designed to throw rainwater clear of the wall below
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The upper surface of an area filled with groundwater, separating the zone of aeration (the subsurface region of soil and rocks in which the pores are filled with air and usually some water) from the zone of saturation (the subsurface region in which the pores are filled only with water). Water tables rise and fall with seasonal moisture, water absorption by vegetation, and the withdrawal of groundwater from wells, among other factors. The water table is not flat but has peaks and valleys that generally conform to the overlying land surface.
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Compare potentiometric surface
Etymology
Origin of water table
A late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50
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.
While he believes this prevented airborne contamination, he is unsure if it would have stopped contamination into the Earth due to the high water table linked to the tides.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Demands included an analysis of the local water table, a survey for potential archaeological sites, a seismic-risk assessment and wider environmental analyses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
As the water table drops, the land is sinking.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
"The estimated yield of the event was a 10 tonne nuclear explosion, or five tonnes conventional equivalent, which assumes the explosion was fully coupled in hard rock below the water table," he said.
From Barron's ● Feb. 23, 2026
The individual soul touches upon the world soul like a well reaches for the water table.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
