watering can

American

noun

a container for water, typically of metal or plastic and having a spout with a perforated nozzle, for watering or sprinkling plants, flowers, etc.

watering can British

noun

a container with a handle and a spout with a perforated nozzle used to sprinkle water over plants

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

watering cans

plural

Etymology

Origin of watering can

First recorded in 1685–95

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:

watering can

Advice offered by Scottish Water includes using a watering can instead of a garden hose, avoiding using sprinklers, taking shorter showers and turning the tap off when brushing teeth.

From BBC ● May 15, 2025

Ito’s last task was to grab his watering can out of the trunk and fill up at a nearby tap.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2023

The upcycled watering can mailbox is the proud focal point of their cul-de-sac.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2023

Well, then, here’s a watering can and some fertilizer.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 30, 2023

On the wall above her was a framed reproduction of Renoir’s girl with a green watering can.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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