groundwater

[ ground-waw-ter, -woter ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the water beneath the surface of the ground, consisting largely of surface water that has seeped down: the source of water in springs and wells.

groundwater

Water that collects or flows beneath the Earth's surface, filling the porous spaces in soil, sediment, and rocks. Groundwater originates from rain and from melting snow and ice and is the source of water for aquifers, springs, and wells. The upper surface of groundwater is the water table .

groundwater

Water that seeps through the soil or rocks underground.

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Notes

Groundwater can be contaminated by chemical pollutants. ( See water pollution .)

Groundwater is a source of drinking and spring water for many communities.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of groundwater¹

First recorded in 1885–90; ground ¹( def ) + water ( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

They clean the air, replenish the groundwater, capture stormwater runoff, slow the deterioration of streets and have been shown to reduce crime.

From

They capture stormwater runoff, replenish groundwater and slow the deterioration of streets.

From

The EPA installed raised barriers and layers of thick plastic to prevent groundwater runoff and used air-quality monitors to ensure that the battery dust, which contains precious and semiprecious metals, did not contaminate the air.

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To grow substantially, Large said, Roy’s and Amboy need easier access to potable water, probably through a groundwater purification process.

From

The groundwater in Amboy is about 10 times saltier than the sea, Large said, and for years, all drinking water has been trucked in.

From

ground track ground water

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