sewer

1 of 3

noun (1)

Synonyms of sewernext
: a medieval household officer often of high rank in charge of serving the dishes at table and sometimes of seating and tasting
: one that sews

sewer

3 of 3

noun (3)

: an artificial usually subterranean conduit to carry off sewage and sometimes surface water (as from rainfall)

Examples of sewer in a Sentence

Noun (2) a good sewer who designs her own clothing
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.
Noun
For instance, studies have found a single load of laundry can wash 700,000 tendrils of microplastics known as microfibers into sewers. Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 An inspection of the sewers in the area of the incident found that there was no damage to the infrastructure, a spokesperson for the city Environmental Protection Department said in a statement Sunday. Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026 Kiewit Corporation, the largest contractor in the state, formally withdrew from the bidding process for the project while citing the risks the city's brick sewer system posed, according to the auditor's report. Logan Smith, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 Commissioners and members of the public questioned why they were not brought into the decision sooner and why there was not more public involvement, comparing the process with a March decision about water and sewer rates. Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sewer

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French asseour, literally, seater, from Anglo-French asseer to seat — more at assize

Noun (3)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from assewer, essiver to drain, from Vulgar Latin *exaquare, from Latin ex- + aqua water — more at island

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sewer was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sewer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sewer. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

sewer

1 of 2 noun
: one that sews

sewer

2 of 2 noun
: a usually covered drain to carry off water and sewage

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