dowser

1 of 2

noun

dows·​er ˈdau̇-zər How to pronounce dowser (audio)
: divining rod
also : a person who uses it

dowser

2 of 2

less common spelling of douser

Examples of dowser in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For Britton, the Hamilton dowser, the practice is all a bit of a mystery. Dugan Arnett, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Sep. 2022 Peter Britton, a longtime water dowser, demonstrated his dowsing rod while spending time at Three Sisters Garden in Ipswich. Dugan Arnett, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Sep. 2022 In an effort to irrigate his crops, Jacob hires a dowser to locate a viable well. Zoe Guy, Marie Claire, 25 Apr. 2021 The divining rod pulled the dowser up the driveway, past the cabin, adroitly between trees and over the full length of our dock to its end, where he — sploosh! — fell into four feet of lake water. Dick Teresi, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dowser.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dowser was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near dowser

Cite this Entry

“Dowser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dowser. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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