water table
noun
1
: a stringcourse or similar member when projecting so as to throw off water
2
: the upper limit of the portion of the ground wholly saturated with water
Examples of water table in a Sentence
Heavy rainfall has caused the water table to rise.
Recent Examples on the Web
My neighbors have kids and a lot of other residents in the area who are on well water are concerned that the chemicals are now leaking into our water tables.
—
Thomas Catenacci, Fox News, 27 Mar. 2024
As a consequence, water tables have been falling typically by 10 feet per year, according to David Mansfield, an expert on the country’s opium industry from the London School of Economics.
—Fred Pearce, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024
Excessive pumping lowers the water table and causes the overlying land to sink.
—Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024
This water table is easy to clean and is a good option for kids who are 18 months and older.
—Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024
Each inch the land slumps towards the water table can make floods significantly, catastrophically worse.
—Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Over the years, the minerals percolate through the soil to the water table and eventually get flushed into rivers and oceans.
—Dina Genkina, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2024
Even modest falls in water tables in the continent’s many shallow aquifers could dry up wells that sustain many of the 255 million people living in poverty above them, warns the World Bank.
—Fred Pearce, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024
Locals fear their wells could fail if pumping increases
The project has alarmed locals who have watched the water table drop in recent years from existing residential and agricultural pumping.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 5 Feb. 2024
Thomas Catenacci, Fox News, 27 Mar. 2024
As a consequence, water tables have been falling typically by 10 feet per year, according to David Mansfield, an expert on the country’s opium industry from the London School of Economics.
—Fred Pearce, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024
Excessive pumping lowers the water table and causes the overlying land to sink.
—Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024
This water table is easy to clean and is a good option for kids who are 18 months and older.
—Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024
Each inch the land slumps towards the water table can make floods significantly, catastrophically worse.
—Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024
Over the years, the minerals percolate through the soil to the water table and eventually get flushed into rivers and oceans.
—Dina Genkina, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2024
Even modest falls in water tables in the continent’s many shallow aquifers could dry up wells that sustain many of the 255 million people living in poverty above them, warns the World Bank.
—Fred Pearce, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024
Locals fear their wells could fail if pumping increases
The project has alarmed locals who have watched the water table drop in recent years from existing residential and agricultural pumping.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 5 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'water table.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of water table was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near water table
Cite this Entry
“Water table.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20table. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
water table
noun
: the upper limit of the portion of the ground completely soaked with water
More from Merriam-Webster on water table
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about water table
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