definitions

watershed

[ waw-ter-shed, wot-er- ]
/ ˈwɔ tərˌʃɛd, ˈwɒt ər- /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR watershed ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Chiefly British. the ridge or crest line dividing two drainage areas; water parting; divide.
the region or area drained by a river, stream, etc.; drainage area.
Architecture. wash(def 44).
an important point of division or transition between two phases, conditions, etc.: The treaty to ban war in space may prove to be one of history's great watersheds.

adjective

constituting a watershed: a watershed area; a watershed case.

RELATED CONTENT

Grinch And Other Trending Words On Dictionary.comRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
Where Did The Phrase “Fast And The Furious” Come From?The continued box office success of the Fast and the Furious franchise gives moviegoers and word-lovers something to cheer about. Beyond the stunning action sequences, though, audiences, including us, actually really enjoy the title itself.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

milestone, pot, bowl, pan, lagoon, valley, pool, tub, event, stage, crisis, milepost, gulf, bay, sag, hollow, ewer, concavity, sink, vessel

Nearby words

waterproofing, waters, watersaver, waterscape, waterscorpion, watershed, watershed infarction, waterside, watersider, watersport, waterspout

Origin of watershed

First recorded in 1795–1805; water + shed2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for watershed

British Dictionary definitions for watershed

watershed

/ (ˈwɔːtəˌʃɛd) /

noun

the dividing line between two adjacent river systems, such as a ridge
an important period or factor that serves as a dividing line
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

Medicine definitions for watershed

watershed

[ wô′tər-shĕd′ ]

n.

A ridge between two areas that directs drainage to either side.
The area of marginal blood flow at the extreme periphery of a vascular bed.
Ridges of the lumbar vertebrae and the pelvic brim formed in the abdominal cavity, which determine the direction in which a free effusion will gravitate when the body is supine.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for watershed

watershed

[ wô′tər-shĕd′ ]

A continuous ridge of high ground forming a divide between two different drainage basins or river systems.
The region enclosed by such a divide and draining into a river, river system, or other body of water.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for watershed

watershed

A ridge of high land dividing two areas that are drained by different river systems. On one side of a watershed, rivers and streams flow in one direction; on the other side they flow in another direction. Also, the area drained by a water system.

Note

By extension, a “watershed” is a critical point that serves as a dividing line: “The parties reached a watershed in the contract negotiations.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.