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noun Uncommon

trough

trof

Trough (noun) means a long, open container used to hold food or water for animals. Example: “The pigs crowded around the trough at feeding time.”

noun
1
A long, open container used to hold food or water for animals.
"The pigs crowded around the trough at feeding time."
2
The lowest point of a wave, cycle, or graph, opposite of a peak.
"Sales hit a trough in January before picking up again in spring."
"The boat dipped into the trough between two large waves."

How to use trough

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a container animals feed or drink from, or the low point in any repeating up-and-down pattern, like waves or an economy.

Common pairings
feeding trough peaks and troughs economic trough

Word forms

troughed past tense, troughs plural, troughs singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The pigs crowded around the _____ at feeding time.

Etymology

From Old English trog, "a container for liquid," related to the word "tree" — early troughs were carved from hollowed logs.

Origin: Old English

Related words

Rhymes for trough

See all rhymes for trough →

Frequently asked questions

What does “trough” mean?

The word “trough” means a long, open container used to hold food or water for animals. In plain terms, either a container animals feed or drink from, or the low point in any repeating up-and-down pattern, like waves or an economy.

How do you pronounce “trough”?

“Trough” is pronounced trof (/tɹɔθ/ in IPA).

How do you use “trough” in a sentence?

Here is “trough” used in a sentence: “The pigs crowded around the trough at feeding time.”

What is another word for “trough”?

Words with a similar meaning to “trough” include manger.

What part of speech is “trough”?

“Trough” is a noun.

Where does the word “trough” come from?

The word “trough” comes from Old English. From Old English trog, "a container for liquid," related to the word "tree" — early troughs were carved from hollowed logs.

Is “trough” a common word?

“Trough” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “trough” have?

“Trough” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a long, open container used to hold food or water for animals.

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