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

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

External sprinklers that draw from cistern, pool or other water source via a pump.

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 found him behind the house, at the cistern, filling a pitcher for the house.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk