| the water beneath the surface of the ground, consisting largely of surface water that has seeped down: the source of water in springs and wells. |
| ground water also ground·wa·ter (ground'wô'tər, -wŏt'ər) n. Water beneath the earth's surface, often between saturated soil and rock, that supplies wells and springs. |
groundwater  (ground'wô'tər) Pronunciation Key
Water that collects or flows beneath the Earth's surface, filling the porous spaces in soil, sediment, and rocks. Groundwater originates from rain and from melting snow and ice and is the source of water for aquifers, springs, and wells. The upper surface of groundwater is the water table. |