sump

noun

ˈsəmp 

1

: a pit or reservoir serving as a drain or receptacle for liquids: such as

a

: cesspool

b

: a pit at the lowest point in a circulating or drainage system (such as the oil-circulating system of an internal combustion engine)

c

chiefly British : oil pan

2

British : crankcase

3

[German Sumpf, literally, marsh, from Middle High German — more at swamp]

a

: the lowest part of a mine shaft into which water drains

b

: an excavation ahead of regular work in driving a mine tunnel or sinking a mine shaft

4

: something resembling a sump : sink sense 2

Examples of sump in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To help cope with the additional output of nearly 200 hp routed to larger tire-contact patches, Chevy significantly revised the transaxle with an additional clutch disc, a deeper hydraulic oil sump, internal baffles, beefed-up output shafts and a higher 5.56 final drive ratio. —Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2022

The Corvette gets a dry sump oiling system that's better for the track, while the ZL1 uses a tried and true wet sump design. —Fox News Staff, Fox News, 3 July 2022

It’s based on the mill found in the 330 GT and comes equipped with a dry oil sump, dual ignition, three valves per cylinder instead of four, and twin sparkplugs per cylinder. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 2 May 2023

According to CalGEM documents the news organizations obtained through public records requests, errant firms have left leaking wells, tanks, sump ponds and other problems across the state, posing threats to public health and wildlife. —Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 22 Mar. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sompe swamp — more at swamp

First Known Use

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sump

• sump pump

Kids Definition

sump

noun

ˈsəmp 

: a pit or reservoir serving as a container or as a drain for liquids