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aquifer

 - 4 dictionary results

aq⋅ui⋅fer

  [ak-wuh-fer]
Use aquifer in a Sentence
–noun
any geological formation containing or conducting ground water, esp. one that supplies the water for wells, springs, etc.
Origin:
1900–05; prob. < F aquifère (adj.); see aqui-, -fer
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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aq·ui·fer   (āk'wə-fər, ä'kwə-)   
n.  An underground bed or layer of permeable rock, sediment, or soil that yields water.
a·quif'er·ous (ə-kwĭf'ər-əs) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

aquifer 
1901, coined from L. aqui-, comb. form of aqua "water" + -fer "bearing," from ferre "to bear" (see infer).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Science Dictionary
aquifer   (āk'wə-fər)  Pronunciation Key 
An underground layer of permeable rock, sediment (usually sand or gravel), or soil that yields water. The pore spaces in aquifers are filled with water and are interconnected, so that water flows through them. Sandstones, unconsolidated gravels, and porous limestones make the best aquifers. They can range from a few square kilometers to thousands of square kilometers in size.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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