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Glite Dictionary
waterfinder

waterfinder

9.9
A forked stick used to find underground water or oil by dipping down
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtərˌfaɪndər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : varita de zahorí
  • The farmer used a waterfinder to search for a new well site on his property.

Examples

  • Some people believe that a waterfinder can locate underground water sources with remarkable accuracy.

  • Many farmers use a waterfinder to locate irrigation sources.

  • Before drilling, they hired a dowser who brought a traditional waterfinder to survey the land.

  • The waterfinder led us to a hidden spring.

  • The farmer used a waterfinder to search for a new well site on his property.

  • Before drilling, they hired a dowser who brought a traditional waterfinder to survey the land.

  • Some people believe that a waterfinder can locate underground water sources with remarkable accuracy.

Synonyms

dowsing rod
vswaterfinder
2 9.8

A forked stick used to try to find underground water or minerals

emphasizes a tool believed to dip downward specifically for water or oil
divining rod
vswaterfinder
2 8.6

A forked stick that people hold to find underground water

focuses on the same tool but stresses downward dipping as indicator
dowser
vswaterfinder
1 9.9

A stick with two branches used to find water or minerals underground

uses the same idea but names the particular forked stick tool
water finder
vswaterfinder
9.4

A forked stick people use to find water or oil underground

is the spaced variant of the same tool term
hydroscope
vswaterfinder
  • Specialized
9.9

A tool used to find water under the ground

is the traditional folk tool believed to dip, not a technical instrument

Surface Forms

waterfinder singular
waterfinders plural

Morphology

waterfinder = water + finder (transparent) = water + find + er

The meaning is directly built from 'water' + 'finder': a device for finding water, with only a mild specialization to dowsing.

Etymology

Waterfinder comes from the plain parts water and finder, meaning 'one who finds water'. It names a forked stick or similar tool that people use and that is said to bend or dip downward when it is over underground water or oil, so it is used to search for wells.