waterwork

English

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

waterwork

  • /ˈwɔːtəˌwəːk/ UK
  • /ˈwɔtɚˌwɚk/ US
  • [-ɾɚ-] US

Where it comes from

From Late Middle English [Term?], analysable as water + work.

noun waterworks

  1. countable A machine or mechanism for raising or carrying water.
  2. countable A textile fabric used like tapestry.
  3. countable, uncountable Some action or activity done on, in, or using water.
  4. uncountable A style of painting executed in distemper or size, on canvas or a wall, intended to resemble a tapestry; (countable) such a painting. [F]or thy wals a pretty ſleight drollery, or the ſtorie of the prodigal, or the Iarman hunting in waterworke, is worth a thouſand of theſe bed-hangers, and theſe flie bitten tapeſtrie, let it be x. ♇ [i.e., ten pounds] if thou canſt: [...]
  5. countable, historical, uncountable A hydraulic apparatus by which a supply of water is furnished for ornamental purposes; also, an ornamental fountain or waterfall.
  6. archaic, countable, uncountable Engineering works relating to the conveyance and flow of fluids (principally water), such as the collection and distribution of water, drainage, irrigation, etc.

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"waterwork." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/waterwork. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

waterwork. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/waterwork

Chicago

"waterwork." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/waterwork.

BibTeX
@misc{waterwork_2026,
  title = {waterwork},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/waterwork},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}