water English · revision 1986

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 899 (Alfred, Pastoral Care)|origins=ine-pro *wed-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈwɔː.tə/, US /ˈwɑː.t̬ɚ/, /ˈwɔː-/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|water]], [[inh|ang|wæter]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD) from [[gem-pro|*watar]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Its cognates are [[ofs|weter]], [[osx|watar]], [[nl|water]], [[goh|wazzar]] (modern [[de|Wasser]]), [[non|vatn]] and [[got|𐍅𐌰𐍄𐍉|tr=watō]], the Norse and Gothic words being formed with -n- in place of -r-.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) It goes back to [[ine-pro|*wod-or]], a suffixed form of the root [[m|ine-pro|*wed-|t=water; wet]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Proto-Indo-European declined this noun with -r- in the nominative and -n- in the other cases, as Hittite still shows ([[hit|wātar]], genitive [[m|hit|wetenas]]).^(Barnhart 1988) Other forms of the root gave [[wet]], [[otter]] and, through [[grc|ὕδωρ|tr=hýdōr]], [[hydro-]];^(AHD 2000) further cognates are [[la|unda|t=wave]], [[lt|vanduo]], [[sga|uisce]] and [[ru|вода|tr=vodá]], the source of [[vodka]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966)^(NODE 1998) Etymonline notes that Proto-Indo-European seems to have had a second word, [[m|ine-pro|*ap-]], for water as a living force, while *wed- named it as a substance.^(Etymonline) The verb is [[inh|ang|wæterian]], from the noun.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The clear liquid of rain, rivers and seas: Old English ''wæter'' is recorded before 899, in King Alfred's translation of Gregory's ''Pastoral Care''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In ancient thought water was one of the handful of basic elements of which everything is made.^(Etymonline) Old English already had the verb ''wæterian'' “to moisten, irrigate” and “to lead cattle to water”.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) “To dilute” is late 14th century, now usually ''water down'' (by 1850),^(Etymonline) and of the mouth, “to salivate”, mid-15th century.^(Etymonline) ''Make water'' “urinate” is early 15th century.^(Etymonline) ''Waters'' for the seas of a region, and for a nation's maritime claims, is by the 1650s.^(Etymonline) The transparency and lustre of a diamond was called its ''water'' from about 1600, perhaps translating Arabic ''mā''' “water”, which also meant “lustre, splendour”;^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021) hence ''of the first water'' “of the highest quality”, used of people and things from the 1740s.^(Cresswell 2021) ''To have one's head above water'' is from the 1660s, and figuratively “out of difficulty” from 1742.^(Etymonline) Later compounds include ''water polo'' (1884), ''water buffalo'' (1894) and ''water cannon'' (1964).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 899 – Old English ''wæter'' (Alfred's ''Pastoral Care'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * Old English – verb ''wæterian'', to moisten, irrigate, water cattle.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+ * late 14th century – to dilute.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 15th century – ''make water'', to urinate.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-15th century – of the mouth, to water.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – the lustre of a diamond.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1650s – ''waters'', the seas of a region.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1660s – ''head above water''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1740s – ''of the first water'' used of people and things.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * 1850 – ''water down''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1884 – ''water polo''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1894 – ''water buffalo''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1964 – ''water cannon''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The clear, colourless, tasteless [[liquid]] that falls as rain and forms seas, lakes and rivers, essential to plant and animal life.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A body of water such as a sea, lake or river, or, as ''waters'', the sea of a particular area.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A supply of water, or a water supply system.^(AHD)

+ # Any of the liquids in or passed from the body, such as urine or tears.^(AHD)

+ # The transparency and [[lustre]] of a gem: ''of the first water''.^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To pour or sprinkle water on: ''water the plants''.^(AHD)

+ # To give (an animal) water to drink, or lead it to water.^(AHD)

+ # To [[dilute]] by adding water; weaken: ''water down''.^(AHD)

+ # To [[irrigate]] (land).^(AHD)

+ # Of the eyes, to fill with tears; of the mouth, to produce saliva.^(AHD)

+ # To give a wavy sheen to (silk or metal).^(AHD)

+ # To increase (the number of shares) without increasing the assets behind them.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[waterer]]

+ * [[waterless]]

+ * [[waterlessly]]

+ * [[waterlessness]]

+ * [[waterlike]]

+ * [[dewater]]

+ * [[overwater]]

+ * [[rewater]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wet]]

+ * [[otter]]

+ * [[hydro-]]

+ * [[hydra]]

+ * [[undulate]]

+ * [[vodka]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}