blackwater en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English black Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Germanic *watōr Proto-West Germanic *watar Old English wæter Middle English water English water English blackwater From black + water.
Meanings
- (uncountable, usually) Water, especially in a river or other body of water, that has a naturally dark appearance. ▸ Water that contains dark organic matter such as loam or tannins.
- (qualifier:river classification, uncountable, usually) Water, especially in a river or other body of water, that has a naturally dark appearance. ▸ Water that is acidic and low in nutrients.
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(uncountable, usually) Blackwater fever; malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.
She began talking of the way they had died – blackwater, malaria, a neglected appendix.
1954, Doris Lessing, A Proper Marriage, HarperPerennial, published 1995, page 155:
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(uncountable, usually) Waste from domestic toilets; water containing fecal matter.
Ms. Conlin failed to report, among other things, that air emissions are regulated and that our industry is exploring new technologies to further reduce emissions; that our ships treat all blackwater; and that advanced wastewater purification systems discharge water cleaner than most municipal water treatment plants.
2009 March 1, “Letter: Green Cruising Efforts”, in New York Times:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| blackwaters | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| black water | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
gray water · nightsoil · washwater · clearwater · sullage · whitewater
Deriveds
Synonyms
brown water (waste water likely to contain fecal matter) · sewage (waste water likely to contain fecal matter) · foul water (waste water likely to contain fecal matter)
Translations (21)
es agua negra (contaminated waste water) · pl woda czarna (river classification) · de Schwarzwasser (contaminated waste water) · cmn 黑水 (contaminated waste water) · ru чёрная вода́ (contaminated waste water) · af swartwater (contaminated waste water) · es agua negra (river classification) · ru фека́льный отхо́д (contaminated waste water) · fi käymälävesi (contaminated waste water) · vi nước bẩn (contaminated waste water) · it acque nere (contaminated waste water) · vi nước đen (contaminated waste water) · cmn 污水 (contaminated waste water) · pl woda czarna (contaminated waste water) · pt esgoto (contaminated waste water) · hy կեղտաջուր (contaminated waste water) · nl zwart water (contaminated waste water) · hy կոյուղաջուր (contaminated waste water) · nl zwartwater (contaminated waste water) · fr eaux noires (contaminated waste water) · it acqua di scolo (contaminated waste water)