watermark

1 of 2

noun

wa·​ter·​mark ˈwȯ-tər-ˌmärk 

ˈwä-

1

: a mark indicating the height to which water has risen

2

: a marking in paper resulting from differences in thickness usually produced by pressure of a projecting design in the mold or on a processing roll and visible when the paper is held up to the light

also : the design of or the metal pattern producing the marking

watermark

2 of 2

verb

watermarked; watermarking; watermarks

transitive verb

1

: to mark (paper) with a watermark

2

: to impress (a given design) as a watermark

Examples of watermark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Built-in editing tools enable you to crop, trim, merge clips, add watermarks, and extract subtitles for complete control. —PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2025

The app also uses watermarks and bans likeness impersonation. —Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025

Verb

There could be new hope on the horizon, however, in the form of an authentication system that watermarks videos using fluctuations in the on-location lighting. —New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2025

Organizations looking to watermark AI generated images may need to rethink their approach. —IEEE Spectrum, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for watermark

• disembark
• matriarch
• meadowlark
• patriarch
• arc
• ark
• bark
• barque
• dark
• hark
• lark
• marc

Kids Definition

watermark

1 of 2 noun

wa·​ter·​mark ˈwȯt-ər-ˌmärk 

ˈwät-

1

: a mark that shows the height to which water has risen

2

: a mark (as the maker's name or trademark) made in paper during manufacture and visible when the paper is held up to the light

watermark

2 of 2 verb

: to mark with a watermark