sewer

1 of 3

noun (1)

sew·​er ˈsü-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
ˈsu̇r
: a medieval household officer often of high rank in charge of serving the dishes at table and sometimes of seating and tasting

sewer

2 of 3

noun (2)

sew·​er ˈsō-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
: one that sews

sewer

3 of 3

noun (3)

sew·​er ˈsü-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
ˈsu̇r
: 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
Dramatic rescue: Firefighters pulled an 8-year-old girl from a sewer drain after she was trapped for seven hours in Guizhou, China. Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 30 June 2025 Reasons for construction span roadway improvements, pole maintenance, sewer work and pipeline installation. Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 29 June 2025 The first phase would involve building the park and renovating the house, including electrical upgrades, sewer replacements, and asbestos and lead abatement. Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 29 June 2025 The revenue from the fees helps fund water and sewer capital projects including the future connection to Lake Michigan water, village officials said. Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Sewer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sewer. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sewer

1 of 2 noun
sew·​er ˈsō(-ə)r How to pronounce sewer (audio)
: one that sews

sewer

2 of 2 noun
sew·​er ˈsü-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
ˈsu̇(-ə)r
: a usually covered drain to carry off water and sewage

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