noun
Common
reservoir
REHZ-uh-vwah
Reservoir (noun) means a natural or artificial lake used to store water for supply. Example: “The town's drinking water comes from a reservoir in the hills.”
noun
1
A natural or artificial lake used to store water for supply.
"The town's drinking water comes from a reservoir in the hills."
"After a dry summer, the reservoir was lower than anyone could remember."
"Families walk around the reservoir at weekends and watch the birds."
2
A store or supply of something, often figurative.
"She drew on a deep reservoir of patience with the new trainees."
"The library is a reservoir of knowledge for the whole community."
"The old teacher was a reservoir of funny stories about the school."
How to use reservoir
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA place — literal or figurative — where something is stored up and drawn from as needed.
Common pairings
water reservoir
a reservoir of talent
reservoir levels
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Word forms
- Plural
- reservoirs
- Third person singular
- reservoirs
- Past tense
- reservoired
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The town's drinking water comes from a _____ in the hills.
Etymology
From French réservoir, "storehouse", from réserver, "to reserve, keep".
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for reservoir
See all rhymes for reservoir →Frequently asked questions
What does “reservoir” mean?
The word “reservoir” means a natural or artificial lake used to store water for supply. In plain terms, a place — literal or figurative — where something is stored up and drawn from as needed.
How do you pronounce “reservoir”?
“Reservoir” is pronounced REHZ-uh-vwah (/ˈɹɛz.ə(ɹ).vwɑɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “reservoir” in a sentence?
Here is “reservoir” used in a sentence: “The town's drinking water comes from a reservoir in the hills.”
What part of speech is “reservoir”?
“Reservoir” is a noun.
Where does the word “reservoir” come from?
The word “reservoir” comes from French. From French réservoir, "storehouse", from réserver, "to reserve, keep".
Is “reservoir” a common word?
“Reservoir” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “reservoir” have?
“Reservoir” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a natural or artificial lake used to store water for supply.
What is the difference between a reservoir and a dam?
A dam is the barrier built across a river to hold back water, while a reservoir is the large body of stored water that collects behind it. In short, the dam is the wall and the reservoir is the lake it creates.
What is the difference between a reservoir and a lake?
A lake is usually a natural body of water, while a reservoir is often artificial and made specifically to store water for supply. Some reservoirs are natural lakes adapted for storage, but the word stresses the purpose of holding a supply of water.
