adj · noun · 8 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈwɔːtəʃɛd/
US:wôʹtərshĕd
US:/ˈwɔtɚʃɛd/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:W AO1 T ER0 SH EH2 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:W AA1 T ER0 SH EH2 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Serving to mark a significant development, change in direction, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The topographical boundary dividing two adjacent catchment basins, such as a ridge or a crest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK
Topics: geography, hydrology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: water parting, drainage divide, water divide, divide
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A region of land within which water flows down into a specified body, such as a river, lake, sea, or ocean; a drainage basin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US
Topics: geography, hydrology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: catchment basin, catchment, catchment area, drainage area, river basin, water basin
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A critical point marking a change in course or development.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Examples
watershed moment — watershed event — watershed ruling
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: turning point, crossroads
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The time during the day in which material of a more adult nature (e.g., violence, swear words, or sex) may be broadcast on television or radio, either one permitted by law or one contrived from convention (e.g. when children are not watching).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, UK
Topics: broadcasting, media, radio, television
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: safe harbor
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the agreement was a watershed in the history of both nations
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: landmark, turning point
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: juncture, occasion
Narrower terms: Fall of Man, road to Damascus
7
noun
Meaning 7
the entire geographical area drained by a river and its tributaries; an area characterized by all runoff being conveyed to the same outlet
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
flood control in the Missouri basin
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: river basin, basin, drainage basin, catchment area, catchment basin, drainage area
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: geographical area, geographic area, geographical region, geographic region
Narrower terms: detention basin, retention basin
8
noun
Meaning 8
a ridge of land that separates two adjacent river systems
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: water parting, divide
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: line
Narrower terms: continental divide, Great Divide
History
Etymology
From water + shed. A calque of German Wasserscheide.
Across languages
Translations
63 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
вададзе́л
(vadadzjél)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Belarusian:
вадападзе́л
(vadapadzjél)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Bulgarian:
вододел
(vododel)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Catalan:
partió d'aigües
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Chinese Mandarin:
分水嶺 /分水岭
(fēnshuǐlǐng)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Czech:
rozvodí
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Danish:
vanddeler
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Dutch:
waterscheiding
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Esperanto:
akvodislimo
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Finnish:
vedenjakaja
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
French:
ligne de partage des eaux
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Galician:
divisoria de augas
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Georgian:
წყალგამყოფი
(c̣q̇algamq̇opi)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Georgian:
წყალგასაყარი
(c̣q̇algasaq̇ari)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
German:
Wasserscheide
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Greek:
υδροκρίτης
(ydrokrítis)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Hebrew:
קו פרשת המים
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Icelandic:
vatnaskil
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Italian:
spartiacque
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Kazakh:
суайрық
(suairyq)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Macedonian:
вододе́лница
(vododélnica)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Macedonian:
во́доврат
(vódovrat)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Macedonian:
во́додел
(vódodel)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Malay:
legeh
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Norwegian Bokmål:
vannskille
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Norwegian Nynorsk:
vasskilje
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Polish:
dział wód
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Polish:
dział wodny
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Polish:
wododział
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Portuguese:
divisor de águas
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Romanian:
cumpănă de ape
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Russian:
водоразде́л
(vodorazdél)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Spanish:
línea divisoria
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Spanish:
parteaguas
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Swedish:
vattendelare
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Ukrainian:
вододі́л
(vododíl)
— boundary between adjacent catchment basins
Bulgarian:
повратна точка
(povratna točka)
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Catalan:
punt decisiu
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Chinese Mandarin:
分水嶺 /分水岭
(fēnshuǐlǐng)
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Danish:
vendepunkt
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Dutch:
keerpunt
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Finnish:
vedenjakaja
— critical point marking a change in course or development
French:
tournant décisif
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Galician:
punto de inflexión
— critical point marking a change in course or development
German:
Wendepunkt
— critical point marking a change in course or development
German:
Zeitenwende
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Hebrew:
קו פרשת המים
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Hungarian:
vízválasztó
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Norwegian Bokmål:
vendepunkt
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Norwegian Bokmål:
veiskille
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Norwegian Bokmål:
vannskille
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Polish:
przełom
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Portuguese:
divisor de água
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Russian:
перело́мный моме́нт
(perelómnyj momént)
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Spanish:
momento decisivo
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Spanish:
punto crucial
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Spanish:
parteaguas
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Spanish:
momento clave
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Swedish:
vattendelare
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Swedish:
vägskäl
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Swedish:
skiljeväg
— critical point marking a change in course or development
Polish:
godzina graniczna
— time after which adult material may be broadcast
Spanish:
dos rombos
— time after which adult material may be broadcast
