Standard Lemma guide

leat

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /liːt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An artificial watercourse, canal, or aqueduct, but especially a millrace.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Probably from Middle English lete (“a meeting or intersection of roads; junction; crossroads; conduit”), from Old English ġelǣte (“a going out, ending, meeting”), as in Old English wæterġelǣt (“watercourse, aquaduct”), from Proto-Germanic *lētą, *galētą (“a letting, a letting out”). Cognate with Old High German gilāz (“outlet, exit, end, road junction”), German Gelaß (“back room, recess, private chamber”). Related to English let.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: воденичен улей (vodeničen ulej) — artificial watercourse, canal or aqueduct
  • Portuguese: levada — artificial watercourse, canal or aqueduct