sewer

1 of 3

noun (1)

sew·​er ˈsü-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
ˈsu̇r
: a medieval household officer often of high rank in charge of serving the dishes at table and sometimes of seating and tasting

sewer

2 of 3

noun (2)

sew·​er ˈsō-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
: one that sews

sewer

3 of 3

noun (3)

sew·​er ˈsü-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
ˈsu̇r
: an artificial usually subterranean conduit to carry off sewage and sometimes surface water (as from rainfall)

Examples of sewer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For example, Scottsdale has a charter amendment that requires developers within the city to provide essential services like water and sewer, or to pay the city a fee for those services to continue with the development. Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Cleanup efforts are underway to jet nearby storm sewers using vacuum trucks, EPA officials said. Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 Police found the body shortly after 1:00 a.m. Friday in a drainage sewer, Bryant said. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2024 Lo, who quit her job during COVID, has one part-time studio manager and sewers to help twice a week. Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Additionally, water and sewer charges increased around 2.5 times faster than inflation between 1996 and 2018, according to one national survey. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 The other 27 percent of salaries are covered by enterprise funds, primarily the city’s sewer and water divisions. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 The city also received requests recently regarding sewer and water lateral installation. Journal Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2024 Before living in Griffin, she had been accustomed to her local government charging her for water, sewer and garbage collection. Max Blau, ProPublica, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sewer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French asseour, literally, seater, from Anglo-French asseer to seat — more at assize

Noun (3)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from assewer, essiver to drain, from Vulgar Latin *exaquare, from Latin ex- + aqua water — more at island

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sewer was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sewer

Cite this Entry

“Sewer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sewer. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sewer

1 of 2 noun
sew·​er ˈsō(-ə)r How to pronounce sewer (audio)
: one that sews

sewer

2 of 2 noun
sew·​er ˈsü-ər How to pronounce sewer (audio)
ˈsu̇(-ə)r
: a usually covered drain to carry off water and sewage

More from Merriam-Webster on sewer

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