water table

noun

1
: a stringcourse or similar member when projecting so as to throw off water
2
: the upper limit of the portion of the ground wholly saturated with water

Examples of water table in a Sentence

Heavy rainfall has caused the water table to rise.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At such a depth, there's no chance of contaminating the water table and, contrary to popular belief, uranium doesn't leach very far through solid rock even over millions of years. New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2025 For example, Indigenous communities have long used fire to tend plants, reduce overgrowth, restore water tables and generally keep ecosystems healthy. Beth Rose Middleton Manning, The Conversation, 15 Sep. 2025 The Summers monitoring well was recorded as dry on June 30, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey, meaning the water table had dropped below the depth of the well. John Leos, AZCentral.com, 12 Sep. 2025 And the subway system is already surrounded by water, built below a water table that’s also being pushed higher by sea level rise. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for water table

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of water table was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Water table.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20table. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

water table

noun
: the upper limit of the portion of the ground completely soaked with water

More from Merriam-Webster on water table

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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