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watershed

[ waw-ter-shed, wot-er- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

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 45 ).
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.

watershed

/ ˈ��ɔː��əˌʃɛ�� /

watershed

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.

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.

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By extension, a “watershed” is a critical point that serves as a dividing line: “The parties reached a watershed in the contract negotiations.”

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First recorded in 1795–1805; water + shed ²

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Examples have not been reviewed.

They also represent the return of a species to a watershed that itself was devastated by a fire four years ago, but has since recovered.

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President Donald Trump has unveiled plans for sweeping new import taxes on all goods entering the US, in a watershed moment for global trade.

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"Missing that penalty was undoubtedly a watershed moment that made me stronger, a better man," Sir Gareth said at the lecture.

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It was her vehicle that I would later steal - something of a watershed moment.

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The health of the watersheds we all drink from also depends on forest and range management.

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