cistern

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It appeared to have been fed by a stream from a outcrop uphill, and archaeologists believe it may have been a water cistern to store fresh water.

From BBC • Jan. 1, 2026

Water to fight fires from a pool or from rainwater stored in tanks or a cistern.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025

Near the village of Jaun, a construction crew was laying pipes to deliver electricity and water from a new cistern to six local farms.

From New York Times • Jan. 21, 2024

Boys navigate the terrain on donkeys — water is drawn from a cistern, and grain is stored in a cave, where women and girls light cooking fires and talk about makeup and strangers who visit.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2023

I spent a moment at Miss Maggie’s cistern, dusting myself off and sluicing rainwater over my head, before I met her at her door.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk