cistern

noun

cis·tern ˈsi-stərn

Synonyms of cistern

: an artificial reservoir (such as an underground tank) for storing liquids and especially water (such as rainwater)

: a large usually silver vessel formerly used (as in cooling wine) at the dining table

: a fluid-containing sac or cavity in an organism

Examples of cistern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Consider adding rain barrels or cisterns to capture and store water for dry times. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2026 For more water, install barrels at each downspout, connect several rain barrels together, or go for a larger cistern. — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026 Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa offers rooms in some of those many caves and a spa set in the ancient underground cisterns. — Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026 Solar panels also were added to the park in 2017 and 2018, and a cistern was installed to collect water from the splash pad, which was repurposed for the irrigation of the sports fields. — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cistern

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin cisterna, from cista box, chest — more at chest

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of cistern was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cistern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cistern. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

cistern

noun

cis·tern ˈsis-tərn

: an artificial reservoir or tank for storing water usually underground

Medical Definition

cistern

noun

cis·tern ˈsis-tərn

: a fluid-containing sac or cavity in an organism

cistern

noun

Examples of cistern in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on cistern

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes