cistern

English

Etymology

From Middle English cisterne, from Old French cisterne (Modern French citerne) from Latin cisterna, from cista (“box”), from Ancient Greek κίστη (kístē, “box”). Doublet of cisterna.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪs.tən/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪs.tɚn/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -ɪstə(ɹ)n

Noun

cistern (plural cisterns)

1. A reservoir or tank for holding water, especially for catching and holding rainwater for later use.
   • 1913, A.C. Cotter, Catholic Encyclopedia, "Wells in Scripture",

     Their extreme necessity is attested by the countless number of old, unused cisterns with which the Holy Land is literally honeycombed.

   • 2001, Philip J. King, Lawrence E. Stager, chapter 3, in Life in Biblical Israel, →ISBN, page 126:

     Cisterns (bôr, bō'r), mentioned frequently in the Bible, are artificial reservoirs, usually cut into bedrock, for collecting and conserving rain runoff from roofs and courtyards.

2. In a flush toilet, the container in which the water used for flushing is held; a toilet tank.
   • 2003, Allan Windust, chapter 9, in Waterwise House & Garden: a Guide for Sustainable Living, →ISBN, page 36:

     It is possible to connect your tank to your toilet cistern and/or garden, so that even if the water is not drinkable it still can be used productively to make major water savings.

3. A cisterna.
4. The vessel surrounding the condenser in a steam engine.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• cinters, cretins, crinets, increst

Swedish

Noun

cistern c

1. cistern, tank

Declension