hydrant

noun

hy·​drant ˈhī-drənt 

plural hydrants

1

: a discharge pipe with a valve and spout at which water may be drawn from a water main (as for fighting fires)

called also fireplug

2

: faucet

Examples of hydrant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The facility is using a frost-free hydrant for water supply which is not approved for potable water supply. — Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

Miguel Degollado and his daughter, Sofia, cool off in the spray of an open hydrant on South Kolin Avenue in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood as the temperature reaches the high 80s, July 14, 2026. — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Some hydrants were jammed up by freezing temperatures; the blaze was contained in part because of a fireboat that Collins had funded. — Emma Green, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026

There’s the fire-hydrant physique, a flat bat path that stays in the zone longer than those of other hitters and lightning-quick hands that often prove to be the difference between making contact and doing damage. — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Greek hydr-, form in derivatives and compounds of hýdōr "water" + -ant entry 1 — more at hydro-

Note: Though the above is the only likely etymology, the formation is peculiar, as the suffix -ant is normally associated with verbs of French and/or Latin origin. This peculiarity suggests a deliberate coinage, but its source is apparently unknown. The word is attested earliest in Philadelphia city ordinances from the first decade of the nineteenth century.

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hydrant

• fire hydrant

Kids Definition

hydrant

noun

hy·​drant ˈhī-drənt 

: a pipe with a valve and spout at which water may be drawn from the main pipes