basin
BAYSN
Basin (noun) means a wide, shallow bowl or fixed sink used for washing. Example: “He rinsed the paintbrush in the basin before drying it.”
noun
1
A wide, shallow bowl or fixed sink used for washing.
"He rinsed the paintbrush in the basin before drying it."
"The hotel bathroom had a marble basin with two gleaming taps."
"She filled the basin with warm water and washed her hands."
2
An area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.
"Heavy rain upstream raised water levels across the whole basin."
"Scientists are mapping the plants growing across the entire river basin."
"The Amazon basin holds the largest rainforest on Earth."
3
A natural or artificial hollow that holds water.
"The stream filled a rocky basin, making a perfect swimming spot."
"A shallow basin in the sand held water after the tide went out."
"Rainwater collected in a basin at the foot of the hill."
How to use basin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA bowl for washing, or the wider land area a river drains.
Common pairings
river basin
wash basin
drainage basin
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Word forms
- Plural
- basins
- Third person singular
- basins
- Past tense
- basined, basinned
Fill the gap
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He rinsed the paintbrush in the _____ before drying it.
Etymology
From Old French bacin, from Vulgar Latin baccinum, "wide bowl."
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “basin” mean?
The word “basin” means a wide, shallow bowl or fixed sink used for washing. In plain terms, a bowl for washing, or the wider land area a river drains.
How do you pronounce “basin”?
“Basin” is pronounced BAYSN (/ˈbeɪs(ə)n/ in IPA).
How do you use “basin” in a sentence?
Here is “basin” used in a sentence: “She filled the basin with warm water and washed her hands.”
What part of speech is “basin”?
“Basin” is a noun.
Where does the word “basin” come from?
The word “basin” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French bacin, from Vulgar Latin baccinum, "wide bowl.".
Is “basin” a common word?
“Basin” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “basin” have?
“Basin” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a wide, shallow bowl or fixed sink used for washing.
What is the difference between a basin and a sink?
A sink is a fixed fixture plumbed in with taps and a drain, while a basin can be any wide, shallow bowl used for washing, whether fixed or portable. In British English, "basin" or "washbasin" usually refers to the bathroom fixture, whereas American English tends to call both kitchen and bathroom fixtures a "sink."
What is a river basin?
A river basin is the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries: any rain or snow that falls within it eventually flows toward that river. The Amazon Basin, the largest in the world, is a well-known example.
What is the difference between a basin and a valley?
A valley is a low, usually elongated stretch of land between hills or mountains, typically carved by a river or glacier. A basin is a natural or artificial hollow that holds or collects water, and in landscape terms it is often bowl-shaped and may be enclosed on all sides rather than open at each end.
What is the difference between a basin and a bowl?
A bowl is a general-purpose round container, most often associated with food, while a basin is typically wider and shallower and associated with washing or holding water. Basin also carries geographic senses — a hollow in the land or the area drained by a river — that bowl does not share.
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