reservoir

noun

res·er·voir | \ ˈre-zə-ˌvwär

, -zər-, -ˌvwȯr also -ˌvȯi

Definition of reservoir

1 : a place where something is kept in store: such as

a : an artificial lake where water is collected and kept in quantity for use

b : a part of an apparatus in which a liquid is held

c : supply, store a large reservoir of educated people

2 : an extra supply : reserve

3 : an organism in which a parasite that is pathogenic for some other species lives and multiplies usually without damaging its host

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about reservoir

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of reservoir in a Sentence

The pen has a large ink reservoir. Colleges and universities provide reservoirs of talent for job recruiters. She found the reservoirs of energy she needed to finish the job.

Recent Examples on the Web

The old hydroelectric dam spanning the lower Susquehanna River is still ably producing power, but its days of effectively trapping sediment in a 14-mile-long reservoir behind its walls are over. — Davd Mcfadden, baltimoresun.com, "Intensifying downpours threaten the Chesapeake," 6 July 2019 India is the world’s largest user of groundwater - an underground resource that excludes lakes and reservoirs. — Anchorage Daily News, "As a major Indian city runs out of water, 9 million people pray for rain," 2 July 2019 At the same time, an amount of perfusate equivalent to a bottle of wine is brought to body temperature in the machine’s reservoir and oxygenated — as with real blood, oxygenation turns the perfusate a darker, scarlet red. — Matthew Shaer, New York Times, "Scientists Are Giving Dead Brains New Life. What Could Go Wrong?," 2 July 2019 Last fall, as a drought gripped northern Iraq, the water in the reservoir held back by Mosul Dam receded enough to reveal an ancient palace dating to the Mittani Empire. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Drought Reveals Ancient Palace in Iraqi Reservoir," 1 July 2019 Dams hold back vast quantities of sediment in deep reservoirs. — Tristan Baurick, nola.com, "Dredging, dams and other river controls starve places downriver of much-needed sediment," 15 June 2019 And about half of all lakes and reservoirs have fish with mercury above EPA’s recommended limits. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin has cut mercury pollution of its lakes. Climate change puts those gains at risk.," 14 June 2019 Fill the reservoir with equal parts vinegar and water, and place a paper filter into the machine's empty basket. — Lauren Smith, Good Housekeeping, "How to Clean a Coffee Maker, According to Cleaning Experts," 4 Mar. 2019 Here is the fishing report for Kansas and Missouri lakes and reservoirs for the week of July 11, 2018. — Tyler Mahoney Special To The Star, kansascity, "Fishing report: Catfish action picking up in Kansas, Missouri lakes," 11 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reservoir.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about reservoir

Dictionary Entries near reservoir

Statistics for reservoir

Last Updated

13 Jul 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for reservoir

The first known use of reservoir was in 1690

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for reservoir

reservoir

noun

English Language Learners Definition of reservoir

: a usually artificial lake that is used to store a large supply of water for use in people's homes, in businesses, etc.

: a place (such as a part of a machine) where a liquid is stored

: an extra supply of something

See the full definition for reservoir in the English Language Learners Dictionary

reservoir

noun

res·er·voir | \ ˈre-zər-ˌvwär

Kids Definition of reservoir

: a place where something (as water) is kept in store for future use

reservoir

noun

res·er·voir | \ ˈrez-ə(r)v-ˌwär

, -ə(r)v-ˌ(w)ȯr

Medical Definition of reservoir

1 : a space (as an enlargement of a vessel or the cavity of a glandular acinus) in which a body fluid is stored

2 : an organism in which a parasite that is pathogenic for some other species lives and multiplies without damaging its host also : a noneconomic organism within which a pathogen of economic or medical importance flourishes without regard to its pathogenicity for the reservoir rats are reservoirs of plague — compare carrier sense 1a