cistern

noun

cis·​tern ˈsi-stərn How to pronounce cistern (audio)
1
: an artificial reservoir (such as an underground tank) for storing liquids and especially water (such as rainwater)
2
: a large usually silver vessel formerly used (as in cooling wine) at the dining table
3
: a fluid-containing sac or cavity in an organism

Examples of cistern in a Sentence

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.
Anyone living in one of the dozens of surrounding villages, such as Nazareth, who was not rounded up must have cowered in fear behind closed doors or hidden in the various underground cisterns and hewn chambers beneath the ancient houses and courtyards of the Jewish villages. Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025 Here, slowly being swallowed by vegetation and worn down by time, are gigantic mausoleums, vast underground cisterns, temples, imposing city walls and a breathtaking theater perched, like Machu Picchu, on a hilltop that offers views stretching for miles all around. Barry Neild, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025 Hidden beneath the ground are cisterns that hold the rainwater collected for its formulations, now filtered before being fed into more modern machinery than the Fernández family could have foreseen years ago. Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025 The town relies on tanker shuttles and also has a few cisterns in town. Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cistern

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin cisterna, from cista box, chest — more at chest

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cistern was in the 13th century

Cite this Entry

“Cistern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cistern. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

cistern

noun
cis·​tern ˈsis-tərn How to pronounce cistern (audio)
: an artificial reservoir or tank for storing water usually underground

Medical Definition

cistern

noun
cis·​tern ˈsis-tərn How to pronounce cistern (audio)
: a fluid-containing sac or cavity in an organism

More from Merriam-Webster on cistern

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