water cycle

noun

: hydrologic cycle

In the water cycle, water evaporates, condenses, falls as precipitation, and eventually evaporates again.

—Timothy Cooney et al.

As they have for thousands of years, the rhythms of wildlife migration and reproduction as well as human agriculture and grazing activities are inseparable from that of the yearly water cycle.

—Peter Warshall

… run by solar energy that helps cause winds, energizes plants, and powers the water cycle.

—David M. Armstrong et al.

Examples of water cycle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Also flying is the Lunar Trailblazer, a mission selected under NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, a small satellite designed to provide an understanding of the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the moon, as well as the lunar water cycle. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026

This is hauntingly similar to the water cycle here on Earth that is so critical for life on our own warm planet. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026

Run the dishwasher-safe bottles through a hot-water cycle. —Laura Schober, Health, 10 Apr. 2026

Running an empty hot-water cycle with white vinegar or a machine-cleaning tablet once a month can keep odors and buildup in check. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for water cycle

• recycle
• motorcycle

Kids Definition

water cycle

noun

: hydrologic cycle