cistern

American  

[sis-tern] / ˈsɪs tərn /

noun

1. a reservoir, tank, or container for storing or holding water or other liquid.

2. Anatomy. a reservoir or receptacle of some natural fluid of the body.

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cistern British  

/ sɪˈstɜːnəl, ˈsɪstən /

noun

1. a tank for the storage of water, esp on or within the roof of a house or connected to a WC

2. an underground reservoir for the storage of a liquid, esp rainwater

3. anatomy another name for cisterna

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Other Word Forms

• cisternal adjective

Etymology

Origin of cistern

1250–1300; Middle English cistern ( e ) < Latin cisterna, equivalent to cist ( a ) ( cist ¹ ) + -erna noun suffix

Example Sentences

Further samples in the coming months will determine if the cistern dates back to the same period as the roundhouses.

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

Dressed in a Carhartt hoodie and knit cap, he watches a backhoe operator dig a pit for a cistern, which will connect to the new sink that will be installed in the kitchen.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2024

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

If the windmill broke it would mean many days without water because the cistern was already dry of summer water, and melting snow would be a hard job.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya