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Glite Dictionary
🚰 A supply network 🌊 A river network
water system

water system

1 3.4
A main river and the smaller rivers and streams that flow into it
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtər ˈsɪstəm/
translation icon : cuenca hidrográfica
  • After heavy rains, the water system in the valley flooded, affecting local wildlife habitats.

Examples

  • The Amazon river and its tributaries form a crucial water system that supports diverse ecosystems.

  • Changing water consumption patterns and increased pressure on water systems from growing urban populations and expanding agriculture will add additional pressure to an already overburdened water system.

    Academic text (2014)

  • I am not some village in need of a water system.

    Admission (2013)

  • Try out these reliable water systems.

    Blog text (21)

  • The shape of the water system of the Earth is responding to tidal forces of the moon.

  • The shape of the water system of the Earth is responding to tidal forces of the moon.

  • The majority of the water systems in Whatcom County are either moderate or smaller in size.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Such a rise could eliminate the Himalayan and Tibetan glaciers, which feed the major water systems of some of the poorest regions of the world.

    Academic text (2009)

  • It is not India but Pakistan that views Kashmir as a "territorial gain," the acquisition of which would secure Pakistan's river water system and strategic interests.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The health of many communities relies on a strong water system that connects rivers and streams.

Synonyms

river basin
vswater system
  • Specialized
1 3.5

Land where a river and its streams send water to the same place

focuses on the connected rivers and streams that form the water network

How Big

water system
1 3.4
river
∞ 1.0
stream
244 1.0

Surface Forms

water system singular
water systems plural

Morphology

water + system

The meaning 'a network of interconnected streams and rivers' is directly derivable from combining 'water' (bodies of water like rivers) with 'system' (a collection or network), so a learner who knows both words can infer the sense. This noun+noun composition is a common, cross-linguistic pattern (e.g. 'river system') and therefore readily understandable at B1.

Etymology

Water system links water and system: picture a big river with many smaller streams feeding into it, like branches of a tree carrying water toward the sea. So water system means 'a river together with all its small rivers and streams'.