waterborne

adjective

wa·​ter·​borne ˈwȯ-tər-ˌbȯrn 

ˈwä-

: supported, carried, or transmitted by water

waterborne commerce

waterborne diseases

Examples of waterborne in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This style of service extends off property, where the hotel has partnered with RED Hospitality and Leisure to create a menu of largely waterborne excursions and programming on a fleet of eight boats. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026

Children can be more vulnerable than healthy adults to waterborne illnesses, so compliance by schools is especially important. — Marlee Shaffer, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2026

Recent deaths in the nation's South from waterborne microorganisms raises fresh awareness of the threat from two rare but potentially deadly pathogens. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

This canal is the busiest in the United States in terms of waterborne tonnage; in 2023 almost 281 million metric tons of cargo passed through. — Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1559, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for waterborne

• peppercorn
• unicorn
• winterbourne
• adorn
• airborne
• blackthorn
• broomcorn
• buckhorn
• buckthorn
• careworn
• firstborn
• foodborne

Kids Definition

waterborne

adjective

wa·​ter·​borne -ˌbōrn 

-ˌbȯrn

: supported, carried, or passed on by water

waterborne diseases

Medical Definition

waterborne

adjective

wa·​ter·​borne ˈwȯt-ər-ˌbō(ə)rn, ˈwät-, -ˌbȯ(ə)rn 

: carried or transmitted by water and especially by drinking water

waterborne diseases