watermark

[ waw-ter-mahrk, wot-er- ]

noun

1. a mark indicating the height to which water rises or has risen, as in a river or inlet.
2. water line ( def 5 ).
3. a figure or design impressed in some paper during manufacture, visible when the paper is held to the light.
4. Also dig·it·al wa·ter·mark []. Computers. a small piece of code or identifiable data sequence embedded into a digital file, usually an image or an audio or video file, as a traceable marker of origin or ownership.

verb (used with object)

1. to mark (paper or a digital file) with a watermark.
2. to impress (a design, pattern, etc.), as a watermark.
3. Computers. to place (a digital identifier) into a file.

watermark

/ ˈwɔːtəˌmɑːk /

noun

1. a distinguishing mark impressed on paper during manufacture, visible when the paper is held up to the light
2. another word for water line water line

verb

1. to mark (paper) with a watermark

Other Words From

• un·wa·ter·marked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of watermark¹

First recorded in 1625–35; water + mark ¹

Example Sentences

The deal marks a high watermark in the booming popularity of both sport podcasts and the medium in general, with New Heights winning podcast of the year at the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards.

From BBC

They believed the photos had been created within the last six months and included watermarks from the website.

From BBC

The company hopes to make these watermarks difficult to remove.

From New York Times

Another idea is requiring recordings and images to carry a digital watermark.

From Seattle Times

Many of the images contained a watermark that suggested they were connected to a website known for making fake nude photos of celebrities, and even has a sectioned titled “AI Deepfake.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• apex
• apogee
• upper limit