basin
a circular container with a greater width than depth, becoming smaller toward the bottom, used chiefly to hold water or other liquid, especially for washing.
any container of similar shape, as the pan of a balance.
the quantity held by such a container: We need another basin of water to dilute the mixture.
a natural or artificial hollow place containing water.
a partially enclosed, sheltered area along a shore, often partly man-made or dredged to a greater depth, where boats may be moored: a yacht basin.
Geology. an area in which the strata dip from the margins toward a common center.
Physical Geography.
a hollow or depression in the earth's surface, wholly or partly surrounded by higher land: river basin.
Botany. the depression in an apple, pear, or other pome at the end opposite the stem.
Origin of basin
1Other words from basin
- ba·sin·al, adjective
- basined, adjective
- ba·sin·like, adjective
- in·ter·ba·sin, adjective
- subbasin, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for basin
/ (ˈbeɪsən) /
a round container open and wide at the top with sides sloping inwards towards the bottom or base, esp one in which liquids are mixed or stored
Also called: basinful the amount a basin will hold
a washbasin or sink
any partially enclosed or sheltered area where vessels may be moored or docked
the catchment area of a particular river and its tributaries or of a lake or sea
a depression in the earth's surface
geology a part of the earth's surface consisting of rock strata that slope down to a common centre
Origin of basin
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for basin
[ bā′sĭn ]
A region drained by a river and its tributaries.
A low-lying area on the Earth's surface in which thick layers of sediment have accumulated. Some basins are bowl-shaped while others are elongate. Basins form through tectonic processes, especially in fault-bordered intermontane areas or in areas where the Earth's crust has warped downwards. They are often a source of valuable oil.
An artificially enclosed area of a river or harbor designed so that the water level remains unaffected by tidal changes.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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