watershed
10 synonyms and 0 antonyms for watershed, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The area of land that drains into a particular river, lake, or sea.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use watershed
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
A compound of "water" and "shed," modeled directly on the German word Wasserscheide ("water-divide") — originally describing the ridge of land that separates where rainwater flows to different rivers.
Full origin of watershed →Frequently asked questions
What does “watershed” mean?
The word “watershed” means the area of land that drains into a particular river, lake, or sea. In plain terms, either the land that drains into a river system, or — more commonly today — a defining turning point.
How do you pronounce “watershed”?
“Watershed” is pronounced WAW-tuh-shehd (/ˈwɔtɚʃɛd/ in IPA).
How do you use “watershed” in a sentence?
Here is “watershed” used in a sentence: “Farmers upstream can affect water quality throughout the whole watershed.”
What part of speech is “watershed”?
Depending on how it is used, “watershed” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “watershed” come from?
The word “watershed” comes from German. A compound of "water" and "shed," modeled directly on the German word Wasserscheide ("water-divide") — originally describing the ridge of land that separates where rainwater flows to different rivers.
Is “watershed” a common word?
“Watershed” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “watershed” have?
“Watershed” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the area of land that drains into a particular river, lake, or sea.