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Glite Dictionary
sweetwater

sweetwater

2.7
Fresh water that is not salty, found in rivers and lakes
  • noun
  • /ˈswitˌwɔtər/
translation icon : agua dulce
  • The sweetwater in the lake is perfect for swimming.

Examples

  • Many fish thrive in sweetwater rivers.

  • Farmers rely on sweetwater from nearby streams to irrigate their crops.

  • Many species of fish thrive only in sweetwater habitats like rivers and lakes.

  • The explorers searched for sweetwater sources during their journey across the desert.

  • Farmers rely on sweetwater from nearby streams to irrigate their crops.

  • Many species of fish thrive only in sweetwater habitats like rivers and lakes.

  • The sweetwater from the lake is clean and ideal for swimming.

Synonyms

fresh water
vssweetwater
41 1.0

Water that is not salty and found in rivers and lakes

is defined the same but without the explicit seawater contrast
freshwater
vssweetwater
33 1.6

Water that is not salty, found in lakes or rivers and used for drinking

is general non-salty water without emphasis on suitability for use
spring water
vssweetwater
9 1.0

Water that comes from under the ground and is safe to drink

is from rivers lakes or streams rather than an underground source
branch water
vssweetwater
  • US
1 8.9

Water from a small stream that people add to make strong drinks weaker

is general non-salty water not limited to use with alcoholic drinks

Antonyms

saltwater
33 1.0

Water that has a lot of salt, like the sea

How Salty

seawater
  • Specialized
41 1.0
brackish
4 7.2
sweetwater
2.7

Surface Forms

sweetwater singular
sweetwaters plural

Morphology

sweetwater = sweet + water (semi-transparent) = sweet + water

Formally a clear compound 'sweet' + 'water', but the conventional meaning 'fresh/non-salty water' (rather than literally sugary water) may not be obvious to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The word sweetwater comes from the two words sweet and water, because people used sweet to mean 'not salty' or 'pleasant to drink', especially sailors who looked for fresh water. So sweetwater means water from rivers or lakes that is not salty.