pond
pond
Pond (noun) means a small body of still water, smaller than a lake, whether natural or artificial. Example: “The children spent the afternoon looking for frogs beside the pond.”
noun
1
A small body of still water, smaller than a lake, whether natural or artificial.
"The children spent the afternoon looking for frogs beside the pond."
"Ducks were paddling across the village pond."
"They dug a small pond in the garden for the koi."
name
1
Informal shorthand for the Atlantic Ocean, especially in phrases like "across the pond."
"He moved across the pond to start a new job in London."
How to use pond
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small area of standing water, or informally, the Atlantic Ocean when comparing the US and UK.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
duck pond
fish pond
across the pond
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Word forms
- Plural
- ponds
- Third person singular
- ponds
- Past tense
- ponded
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The children spent the afternoon looking for frogs beside the _____.
Etymology
From Middle English pond, a variant of pound ("enclosure"), since a pond originally referred to an enclosed body of water.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for pond
See all rhymes for pond →Frequently asked questions
What does “pond” mean?
The word “pond” means a small body of still water, smaller than a lake, whether natural or artificial. In plain terms, a small area of standing water, or informally, the Atlantic Ocean when comparing the US and UK.
How do you pronounce “pond”?
“Pond” is pronounced pond (/pɑnd/ in IPA).
How do you use “pond” in a sentence?
Here is “pond” used in a sentence: “Ducks were paddling across the village pond.”
What part of speech is “pond”?
Depending on how it is used, “pond” can be a noun and a name.
Where does the word “pond” come from?
The word “pond” comes from Middle English. From Middle English pond, a variant of pound ("enclosure"), since a pond originally referred to an enclosed body of water.
Is “pond” a common word?
“Pond” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “pond” have?
“Pond” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small body of still water, smaller than a lake, whether natural or artificial.
What is the difference between a pond and a lake?
A pond is a small body of still water, and a lake is the larger equivalent; being smaller than a lake is the defining idea of a pond. There is no universally agreed size cutoff, so the same body of water may be called either, but ponds are typically small enough to be taken in at a glance.
Is a pond natural or man-made?
Either. A pond is a small body of still water whether it formed naturally or was created artificially, so garden ponds, farm ponds, and naturally occurring ponds are all covered by the same word.
What is the difference between a pond and a pool?
A pond is a standalone small body of still water, natural or artificial. Pool typically implies either a man-made structure for swimming or a deeper, still part of a river or stream, while pond suggests an independent body of still water in its own right.
