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water (n.1)

Old English wæter, from Proto-Germanic *watr- (source also of Old Saxon watar, Old Frisian wetir, Dutch water, Old High German wazzar, German Wasser, Old Norse vatn, Gothic wato "water"), from PIE *wod-or, suffixed form of root *wed- (1) "water; wet."

To keep (one's) head above water in the figurative sense is recorded from 1742. Water cooler is recorded from 1846; water polo from 1884; water torture from 1928. Linguists believe PIE had two root words for water: *ap- and *wed-. The first (preserved in Sanskrit apah as well as Punjab and julep) was "animate," referring to water as a living force; the latter referred to it as an inanimate substance. The same probably was true of fire (n.).

Origin and meaning of water

water (v.)

Old English wæterian "moisten, irrigate, supply water to; lead (cattle) to water;" from water (n.1). Meaning "to dilute" is attested from late 14c.; now usually as water down (1850). To make water "urinate" is recorded from early 15c. Related: Watered; watering.

Origin and meaning of water

water (n.2)

measure of quality of a diamond, c. 1600, from water (n.1), perhaps as a translation of Arabic ma' "water," which also is used in the sense "luster, splendor."

Entries related to water

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Definitions of water from WordNet
1
water (n.)
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent;
Synonyms: ho
water (n.)
the part of the earth's surface covered with water (such as a river or lake or ocean);
they invaded our territorial waters
they were sitting by the water's edge
Synonyms: body of water
water (n.)
once thought to be one of four elements composing the universe (Empedocles);
water (n.)
a facility that provides a source of water;
first you have to cut off the water
the town debated the purification of the water supply
Synonyms: water system / water supply
water (n.)
liquid excretory product;
the child had to make water
Synonyms: urine / piss / pee / piddle / weewee
water (n.)
a liquid necessary for the life of most animals and plants;
he asked for a drink of water
2
water (v.)
supply with water, as with channels or ditches or streams;
Synonyms: irrigate
water (v.)
provide with water;
We watered the buffalo
water (v.)
secrete or form water, as tears or saliva;
His eyes watered
My mouth watered at the prospect of a good dinner
water (v.)
fill with tears;
His eyes were watering
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near water

watchmaker

watchman

watchtower

watchword

watch-work

water

waterbed

waterboard

water-closet

watercolor

watercourse

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