basin

noun

ba·​sin ˈbā-sᵊn 

1

a

: an open usually circular vessel with sloping or curving sides used typically for holding water for washing

a new washstand and basin

b

chiefly British : a bowl used especially in cooking

c

: the quantity contained in a basin

spilled a basin of water on the floor

2

a

: a dock built in a harbor or a river that is noticeably affected by the tide

b

: an enclosed or partly enclosed water area

3

geography

a

: a large or small depression in the surface of the land or in the ocean floor

the relatively shallow basin of the Baltic Sea

b

: the entire tract of country drained by a river and its tributaries

flooding in the Amazon river basin

c

: a great depression in the surface of the lithosphere occupied by an ocean

4

geology : a broad area of the earth beneath which the strata (see stratum sense 2a) dip usually from the sides toward the center

basinal

ˈbā-sᵊn-əl 

adjective

basined

ˈbā-sᵊnd 

adjective

basinful

ˈbā-sᵊn-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Examples of basin in a Sentence

a basin of cold water

the drainage basin of a river

the Great Basin of the western U.S.

Recent Examples on the Web

The basin stretches over eastern Montana, western North Dakota and South Dakota and the southern Canadian province of Saskatchewan. —Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2024

The first large-scale venture by Oxy, costing $1.3 billon in the Permian basin of West Texas, is called Stratos. —Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Chevron has doubled its production in the basin in the last five years and is now returning records amounts of cash to shareholders. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2024

Around two dozen tropical storms and hurricanes have roamed the basin in December since the late 1800s. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French bacin, going back to Vulgar Latin *baccīnum (whence Hellenized Late Latin bacchinon "disk with two wooden dishes"), derivative from a base *bak- or *bakk- (whence Latin bacar, bacriō "kind of vessel," early Medieval Latin bacarium, baccarium, becario "pitcher, vessel"), of obscure origin

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing basin

• inter-basin
• slop basin
• sub-basin

Kids Definition

basin

noun

ba·​sin ˈbās-ᵊn 

1

a

: a wide usually round container with sloping or curving sides for holding liquids

b

: the amount that a basin holds

2

: a hollow area or enclosure containing water

especially : a partly enclosed water area for anchoring ships

3

a

: the land drained by a river and its branches

b

: a large or small hollow area in the surface of the land or in the ocean floor

c

: a great hollow area in the surface of the lithosphere filled by an ocean

4

: a broad area of the earth beneath which layers of sedimentary rock dip usually from the sides toward the center

Medical Definition

basin

noun

ba·​sin ˈbās-ᵊn 

1

: an open usually circular vessel with sloping or curving sides used typically for holding water for washing

2

: the quantity contained in a basin