aqueduct
noun
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Based partly on the Latin ducere, meaning "lead" or "conduct," the word aqueduct named an ancient civil-engineering marvel. Ancient Rome's aqueduct system, an extraordinary feat of engineering, brought water to the city from as far as 57 miles (92 kilometers) away. Only a portion of the Roman aqueducts utilized the familiar stone arch; most were underground conduits made of stone or terra-cotta pipe. Modern aqueduct systems now often use reinforced concrete for large water mains, and ductile iron, a stronger and more elastic type of cast iron, for smaller underground pipes.
Examples of aqueduct in a Sentence
Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 May 2025
The tunnel would create a second route to transport water to the state’s pumping facilities on the south side of the Delta, where supplies enter the aqueducts of the State Water Project and are delivered to 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
Still in use to this day, the aqueduct carries water from the Frío River to the city of Segovia.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 14 Apr. 2025
Archaeologists estimated the aqueduct required about 56 tons of stone and over 80 tiles, the university said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Aqueduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aqueduct. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aqueduct
noun
from Latin aquaeductus "aqueduct," from aquae, form of aqua "water," and ductus "act of conducting or leading" — related to duct
Medical Definition
aqueduct
noun
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