basin

[bey-suhn]

noun

1. a circular container with a greater width than depth, becoming smaller toward the bottom, used chiefly to hold water or other liquid, especially for washing.

2. any container of similar shape, as the pan of a balance.

3. the quantity held by such a container.

   We need another basin of water to dilute the mixture.

4. a natural or artificial hollow place containing water.

5. a partially enclosed, sheltered area along a shore, often partly man-made or dredged to a greater depth, where boats may be moored.

   a yacht basin.

6. Geology.,  an area in which the strata dip from the margins toward a common center.

7. Physical Geography.

   1. a hollow or depression in the earth's surface, wholly or partly surrounded by higher land.

      river basin.

   2. drainage basin.

8. Botany.,  the depression in an apple, pear, or other pome at the end opposite the stem.

basin

/ ˈbeɪsən /

noun

1. a round container open and wide at the top with sides sloping inwards towards the bottom or base, esp one in which liquids are mixed or stored

2. Also called: basinful. the amount a basin will hold

3. a washbasin or sink

4. any partially enclosed or sheltered area where vessels may be moored or docked

5. the catchment area of a particular river and its tributaries or of a lake or sea

6. a depression in the earth's surface

7. geology a part of the earth's surface consisting of rock strata that slope down to a common centre

basin

1. A region drained by a river and its tributaries.

2. A low-lying area on the Earth's surface in which thick layers of sediment have accumulated. Some basins are bowl-shaped while others are elongate. Basins form through tectonic processes, especially in fault-bordered intermontane areas or in areas where the Earth's crust has warped downwards. They are often a source of valuable oil.

3. An artificially enclosed area of a river or harbor designed so that the water level remains unaffected by tidal changes.

Other Word Forms

• basinal adjective
• basined adjective
• basinlike adjective
• interbasin adjective
• subbasin noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of basin¹

1175–1225; Middle English bacin < Old French < Late Latin bac ( c ) īnum ( bacc ( a ) water vessel, back ³ + -īnum -ine ¹ ); perhaps further related in Latin to beaker

Word History and Origins

Origin of basin¹

C13: from Old French bacin , from Late Latin bacchīnon , from Vulgar Latin bacca (unattested) container for water; related to Latin bāca berry

Example Sentences

The North Sea is a mature basin with dwindling oil and gas reserves.

From BBC

Premier Marinas, which owns Brighton Marina, has said dredging, which involves removing natural silts that settle in the marina basin, is needed to ensure safe navigation for boats.

From BBC

The Tahoe basin was under a flash flood watch Monday with the chance of “excessive rainfall” that could cause flooding or debris flows, especially along burn scars, the weather service warned.

From Los Angeles Times

"The work carried out by the geologists in our research programme suggested that the complex geology of the shale basins in the UK would make it significantly more difficult and costly to extract," Bradshaw says.

From BBC

As a desert basin bordered by mountains, it can trap pollutants.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bowl 
• lagoon 
• pan 
• pool 
• pot 
• tub 
• valley 
• watershed