waterproof
Americanadjective
noun
verb (used with object)
adjective
noun
verb
Usage
What does waterproof mean? If something is waterproof, water can’t soak it or get inside of it. For example, waterproof boots will keep your feet dry even if you walk in water.Waterproof is also commonly used as a verb meaning to make something waterproof, as in We need to waterproof this basement so it won’t flood during rainstorms. Waterproof is sometimes used in the U.K. as a noun to refer to a waterproof garment, especially a raincoat, as in It’s raining, so you’d better wear your waterproof.Example: Make sure you get a waterproof tent—the ones that are only water-resistant can still let the rain in.
Other Word Forms
- waterproofer noun
- waterproofness noun
Etymology
Origin of waterproof
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.
Seabirds are especially at risk because oil destroyed the waterproofing of their feathers, leading to hypothermia and drowning.
From Barron's
"If I get wet, I get wet. I just don't like wearing waterproofs, 'cos you sweat too much."
From BBC
Her fur jacket is made of hairs so fine that three hundred thousand are packed into one square inch so that she's always warm and waterproof.
From Literature
I slipped on waterproof shoes, grabbed a pair of shears and, still in my pajamas, tiptoed down the grand staircase of the château and out onto the dewy grass of the garden.
He says there's lots of information out there about what to pack and stresses that good-quality waterproof clothing doesn't have to be expensive.
From BBC
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.
