drinking water: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to formal (depending on context)
Quick answer
What does “drinking water” mean?
Water that is safe and suitable for human consumption.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Water that is safe and suitable for human consumption.
Water that has been treated or is naturally pure enough to drink. Also used to refer to the general supply of water for domestic consumption, and can appear in compounds or set phrases concerning quality, access, or infrastructure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Meaning is identical. Minor differences may exist in regulatory terminology (e.g., 'tap water' vs. 'faucet water' as informal synonyms). The phrase 'potable water' is equally technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral in both. In the UK, 'mineral water' or 'table water' might be more specific commercial terms. In US public health/engineering contexts, 'drinking water' is a standard term.
Frequency
Equally common and standard in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “drinking water” in a Sentence
have access to + drinking waterprovide + [object] + with + drinking waterthe + drinking water + of + [place]drinking water + for + [population]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “drinking water” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not applicable as a verb. The component 'drinking' is a gerund/participle.)
American English
- (Not applicable as a verb.)
adverb
British English
- (Not applicable as an adverb.)
American English
- (Not applicable as an adverb.)
adjective
British English
- We need to check the drinking-water quality. (attributive, often hyphenated)
- The drinking water standards have been revised.
American English
- The city issued a drinking-water advisory.
- They installed a new drinking water fountain.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to bottled water products or utility services (e.g., 'The company specializes in drinking water filtration systems.')
Academic
Used in public health, environmental science, and engineering papers (e.g., 'The study assessed arsenic levels in the local drinking water.')
Everyday
Refers to water for drinking at home or in public (e.g., 'Is this drinking water or should I boil it first?')
Technical
Specifically denotes water meeting safety standards for consumption, often regulated (e.g., 'The EPA sets maximum contaminant levels for drinking water.')
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “drinking water”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “drinking water”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “drinking water”
- Using 'drinkable water' instead of 'drinking water' or 'potable water' in formal contexts (it's understood but less standard). Misspelling as 'drinkwater' (should be two words or hyphenated in some attributive uses).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as a noun phrase it is two words. It may be hyphenated when used attributively before another noun (e.g., drinking-water standard), but practice varies.
They are synonyms, but 'potable water' is more technical and formal, used in scientific, legal, and engineering contexts. 'Drinking water' is the common, everyday term.
Yes, it can refer to any water safe for drinking, including bottled, tap, or filtered water. The context usually specifies the source.
It is grammatically correct and understood, but it is less standard than 'drinking water' or 'potable water'. It can sometimes imply a lower standard ('just about safe to drink').
Water that is safe and suitable for human consumption.
Drinking water is usually neutral to formal (depending on context) in register.
Drinking water: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ ˌwɔːtə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ ˌwɔːtər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not a typical idiom carrier]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a water fountain with a sign that says 'DRINK' – it provides DRINKing WATER.
Conceptual Metaphor
WATER IS A RESOURCE / WATER IS LIFE (as in 'access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right').
Practice
Quiz
In a formal engineering report, which term is most synonymous with 'drinking water'?