water right

American  

noun

1. the right to make use of the water from a particular stream, lake, or irrigation canal.

---

water right British  

noun

1. the right to make use of a water supply, as for irrigation

---

Etymology

Origin of water right

An Americanism dating back to 1785–95

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

water right

"We are running out of water right across the UK," she said.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2025

Another issue: Many delta growers claim not just one water right but several.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 17, 2023

“We had people in the water right up until sunset,” she says.

From National Geographic ● Nov. 17, 2023

“For more than 100 years, there have been horrifying observations of terrestrial insects jumping into water right before our eyes all over the world,” he says.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 19, 2023

On her camping trips with Dad, they’d scooped up water right from streams and gulped it down without a worry.

From "I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980" by Lauren Tarshis

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---