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waterline

waterline

8 4.1
The level where the water meets a ship's side, often shown by a painted line
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtərˌlaɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : línea de flotación
  • The creature crawled up to the wrack at the waterline and stopped.
  • area below the waterline
  • km from the waterline

Examples

  • We've sprung a leak below the waterline.

  • At 17 feet, with most of the waterline in the water, he expected speed, but nothing like what he had.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • All three hits were well above the waterline, sir.

  • Aim for the waterline, midship.

  • For areas above the waterline, a three-coat system was specified.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Epps says it's a slow leak just under the waterline, about twenty gallons an hour.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The captain painted a bright line on the hull to indicate the waterline for the vessel.

  • During the inspection, they noted that the waterline was too high, which could affect the ship's stability.

  • As the tide went out, the waterline dropped significantly, exposing the barnacles on the hull.

Synonyms

water level
vswaterline
20 2.1

How high the water surface is compared with the ground or a ship

is a visible line that marks where water meets a ship hull
water line
vswaterline
7 3.0

A mark on a ship or wall that shows how high the water reaches

is a ship hull marking for the same water level

Surface Forms

waterline singular
waterlines plural

Morphology

waterline = water + line (transparent) = water + line

The word is a straightforward compound of 'water' + 'line' indicating the line where water meets a hull; the meaning follows directly from the components.

Etymology

Waterline is a simple compound of water and line, literally the 'water' 'line' where the water meets the side of a ship. That's why a waterline marks the level of the water on a boat, often as a painted line to show how low or high it sits in the water.