A reservoirA place or container used to keep water for later use. is usually a place or container for storing water. It can also mean a stored supply of something, or a living hostA living organism that another organism lives on or in. that carries and supports an infectiousAble to spread from one person, animal, or thing to another. agent.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈrɛzərvwɑr/
Easy pronunciation: REZ-er-vwahr (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress on the first syllable.
Pronounced for the water-storage noun: a man-made lake or body of water used to store water.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Reservoir Meaning
a man-made lake that stores water for people to use
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a lake or other body of water used to store water for community use
Example: The town gets its water from a nearby reservoir.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- artificial lake — A direct synonym for the water-storage sense.
- man-made lake — A direct synonym for the water-storage sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Reservoir
Meaning 2
a container for storing liquid
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a tank used for collecting and storing a liquid such as water or oil
Example: The old reservoir on the roof needs to be cleaned.
Meaning 3
a host that carries and helps an инфекtion survive
Part of speech: noun
Definition: anything in which an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies
Example: Certain animals can act as a reservoir for the virus.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- source — Can fit this medical sense, but it is broader and less exact than reservoir.
Meaning 4
a big supply of something stored up and ready to use
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a large or extra supply of something
Example: She has a reservoir of patience.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Reservoir Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- artificial lake
- man-made lake
infectious-agent host
- source
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes use reservoir to mean any water tank, but the word can also refer to a natural or man-made lake used for water storage.
- Don’t confuse the common water-storage sense with the medical sense involving infection.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does reservoir mean in simple English?
A reservoir is usually a man-made lake or storage place for water.
What are common synonyms for reservoir?
For the water-storage sense, common synonyms are artificial lake and man-made lake. In the medical sense, source can sometimes work, but it is not a perfect match.
Can reservoir mean more than one thing?
Yes. It can mean a water-storage lake, a container for liquid, a host for an infectious agent, or a stored supply of something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
