Basin
|ba-sin|
🇺🇸
/ˈbeɪsən/
🇬🇧
/ˈbeɪs(ə)n/
(basin)
container or depression
Etymology
'basin' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'bacin', ultimately from Medieval Latin 'bacinus' meaning 'a bowl' or 'vessel'.
'bacinus' changed into Old French 'bacin', which entered Middle English as 'bassin' and eventually became the modern English word 'basin'.
Initially it meant 'a bowl or vessel'; over time the meaning broadened to include natural hollows, drainage areas, and sheltered water areas (harbor/dock).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a shallow, bowl-shaped container used for holding liquids or for washing.
She filled the basin with warm water and washed her face.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a natural depression or hollow in the Earth's surface, often containing water or forming a drainage area; a geological low area.
The Amazon Basin covers a vast area of South America.
Synonyms
Noun 3
a sheltered area of water in a port or dock used for mooring ships; a harbor section or dock basin.
The ship moved slowly into the basin to dock.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/17 18:59