noun
watermark
WAW-tuh-mahk
noun
1
A faint design pressed into paper, visible when held up to light, often used to prove authenticity.
"She held the banknote up to the light to check the watermark."
2
A logo or text overlaid on a digital image or video to show ownership or prevent unauthorized use.
"The photographer added a watermark to every image on his portfolio site."
3
A mark showing the level a body of water has reached.
"You could see the old watermark on the wall from last year's flood."
verb
1
To mark something, especially a digital file or paper, with a watermark.
"The studio watermarks every preview clip before release."
How to Use Watermark
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA faint identifying mark, whether pressed into paper, overlaid on media, or left by rising water.
Common pairings
add a watermark
digital watermark
watermarked image
Word Forms
watermarked past tense, watermarks plural, watermarks singular
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Etymology
A compound of "water" and "mark" — originally referring to the faint mark left by water, later adopted for the paper-printing technique.