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

Noun (2) a good sewer who designs her own clothing
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Water and sewer lines are supposed to be at least 10 feet apart. Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2025 The Town Board also tabled votes on annexing the property from Iredell County and extending water and sewer to the development. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 18 Feb. 2025 Instead of using the money to paint a water tower, Tucker used it toward the purchase of a water and sewer utility. Gqlshare, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025 The place had horse stables where public utility workers kept the brawny animals that pulled the construction wagons as Baltimore built a water and sewer system. Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sewer 

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 24 Feb. 2025.

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

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