water-bearers
|wa-ter-bear-ers|
🇺🇸
/ˈwɔtərˌbɛrər/
🇬🇧
/ˈwɔːtə ˈbeərə/
(water-bearer)
person who carries water
Etymology
'water-bearer' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'water' and 'bearer', where 'water' comes from Old English 'wæter' (from Proto-Germanic '*watar-') meaning 'water', and 'bearer' comes from Old English 'beraer' (from the verb 'beran') meaning 'to carry'.
'water' developed from Old English 'wæter' (from Proto-Germanic '*watar-'); 'bearer' comes from Old English 'beraer', from the verb 'beran' meaning 'to carry'. The compound formed in Middle English as a literal descriptive term and continued into Modern English as 'water-bearer'.
Initially it meant 'one who carries water' in a literal, occupational sense, but over time it has also been used figuratively to mean 'one who supplies or provides water' and as the symbolic figure for the astrological sign Aquarius ('the water-bearer').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'water-bearer': people who carry or transport water (literally).
The village's water-bearers arrived at dawn with clay jars full of water.
Synonyms
Noun 2
plural form of 'water-bearer': people or figures who supply water, often used figuratively (e.g., servants, attendants who provide water).
In the palace, the water-bearers stood ready to pour water for the guests.
Synonyms
Noun 3
plural form referring to the figure of the 'water-bearer' (Aquarius) in art, mythology, or astrology — people identified with or representing that symbol.
The museum displayed several ancient depictions of water-bearers from different cultures.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/29 21:10