basin
noun
ba·sin
| \ ˈbā-sᵊn
\
\
Definition of basin
1a
: an open usually circular vessel with sloping or curving sides used typically for holding water for washing
a new washstand and basin
b
chiefly British
: a bowl used especially in cooking
c
: the quantity contained in a basin
spilled a basin of water on the floor
2a
: a dock built in a harbor or a river that is noticeably affected by the tide
b
: an enclosed or partly enclosed water area
3 geography
a
: a large or small depression in the surface of the land or in the ocean floor
the relatively shallow basin of the Baltic Sea
b
: the entire tract of country drained by a river and its tributaries
flooding in the Amazon river basin
c
: a great depression in the surface of the lithosphere occupied by an ocean
4
geology
: a broad area of the earth beneath which the strata (see stratum sense 2a) dip usually from the sides toward the center
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Other Words from basin
basinal
\ ˈbā-sᵊn-əl
\
adjective
\
adjective
basined
\ ˈbā-sᵊnd
\
adjective
\
adjective
basinful
\ ˈbā-sᵊn-ˌfu̇l
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of basin in a Sentence
a basin of cold water
the drainage basin of a river
the Great Basin of the western U.S.
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Recent Examples on the Web
More than a decade ago, biosolids were blamed for degradation of waters in the Kissimmee River basin, and lawmakers greatly restricted the spreading of the sewage byproduct affecting that region. — Kevin Spear, orlandosentinel.com, "Florida algae crisis plagues St. Johns River and Lake Washington, heightening scrutiny of sewage-treatment practice," 26 July 2019 This is really increasing the likelihood of a hurricane to form in this basin. — New York Times, "Climate Change Fills Hurricanes With More Rain, Analysis Shows," 11 July 2019 Ethnographic and ethnobotanical descriptions of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin have led archaeologist Michael Blake, a co-author of the paper, to suspect that the plants were used medicinally and ceremonially. — Franz Lidz, Smithsonian, "The Delicious, Ancient History of Chocolate and Vanilla," 11 July 2019 Reversing a decision by the previous administration, Bolsonaro’s government has signaled its intention to put both large- and small-scale dams in the Amazon basin back on the table. — Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, "The price of ‘progress’ in the Amazon," 28 June 2019 Many species that depend on a brackish mix of fresh and saltwater in coastal estuaries are decamping as this year’s huge floods flush in fresh water, laden with pollution from farms and cities in the Mississippi River basin. — USA TODAY, "Mural for missing women, ‘Jedi’ cremations, MRI party: News from around our 50 states," 18 June 2019 One issue is that the sloped Manhattan streets around 115th Street form a natural basin, funneling large amounts of rainwater into the park to create the worst of the flooding, according a master planning document for the park written in 2017. — Sharon Otterman, New York Times, "Flooding in Riverside Park: Good for Ducks. Bad for Amtrak Trains Below?," 21 July 2019 Litke reports that the National Hydrography Dataset has 54 different terms, including lake, pond, basin, flowage and reservoir that more or less mean the same thing—lake. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Minnesota and Wisconsin Are Beefing About Who Has More Lakes," 20 July 2019 Workers routinely clean these water basins, which can see feed buildup or incidental manure exposure from day-to-day activities. — Stephanie Blaszczyk, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin dairy cows relax in sand, drink bovine Gatorade and visit the cow 'car wash' to beat summer heat," 19 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'basin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for basin
basin
noun
English Language Learners Definition of basin
chiefly British
: a kitchen sink
British
: a large bowl that is used for mixing, cooking, or serving food
: the amount contained in a basin
See the full definition for basin in the English Language Learners Dictionary
basin
noun
ba·sin
| \ ˈbā-sᵊn
\
\
Kids Definition of basin
1
: a wide shallow usually round dish or bowl for holding liquids
2
: the amount that a basin holds
a basin of cold water
3
: the land drained by a river and its branches
4
: a partly enclosed area of water for anchoring ships
basin
noun
ba·sin
| \ ˈbās-ᵊn
\
\
Medical Definition of basin
1
: an open usually circular vessel with sloping or curving sides used typically for holding water for washing
2
: the quantity contained in a basin
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