noun · verb · 6 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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US:/ˈspɹiŋklɚ/
CMU ARPABET:S P R IH1 NG K L ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:S P R IH1 NG K AH0 L ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Anything that sprinkles.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An irrigation device that sprays water into the air whilst moving back and forth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A heat-activated device that sprays water in the event of a fire, usually mounted on a ceiling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fire sprinkler, sprinkler head
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A dance move in which the dancer places one hand on the head behind the ear, with elbow bent, stretches the other arm forwards and mimics the motions of an irrigation sprinkler with a rotary head.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: preceded by definite article
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To fit with automatic sprinklers for fire prevention.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
mechanical device that attaches to a garden hose for watering lawn or garden
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mechanical device
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English sprinkle Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English sprinkler From sprinkle + -er.
Across languages
Translations
74 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bashkir:
һиптергес
(hipterges)
— anything that sprinkles
Bulgarian:
пръскачка
(prǎskačka)
— anything that sprinkles
Chinese Mandarin:
灑水器 /洒水器
(sǎshuǐqì)
— anything that sprinkles
Georgian:
წყალგამშხეფი
(c̣q̇algamšxepi)
— anything that sprinkles
Georgian:
წყალგამფრქვევი
(c̣q̇algamprkvevi)
— anything that sprinkles
Georgian:
სპრინკლერი
(sṗrinḳleri)
— anything that sprinkles
Hebrew:
ממטרה
(mamtéra)
— anything that sprinkles
Hungarian:
permetező
— anything that sprinkles
Italian:
spruzzatore
— anything that sprinkles
Japanese:
スプリンクラー
(supurinkurā)
— anything that sprinkles
Korean:
스프링클러
(seupeuringkeulleo)
— anything that sprinkles
Russian:
разбры́згиватель
(razbrýzgivatelʹ)
— anything that sprinkles
Russian:
опры́скиватель
(oprýskivatelʹ)
— anything that sprinkles
Russian:
пульвериза́тор
(pulʹverizátor)
— anything that sprinkles
Russian:
спри́нклер
(sprínkler)
— anything that sprinkles
Bulgarian:
дъждовална машина
(dǎždovalna mašina)
— irrigation device
Catalan:
ruixador
— irrigation device
Catalan:
arruixador
— irrigation device
Catalan:
aspersor
— irrigation device
Chinese Mandarin:
噴灑裝置 /喷洒装置
(pēnsǎ zhuāngzhì)
— irrigation device
Chinese Mandarin:
噴灌器 /喷灌器
(pēnguànqì)
— irrigation device
Chinese Mandarin:
灑水器 /洒水器
(sǎshuǐqì)
— irrigation device