noun · 2 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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/ˈwɔtəɹstəf/
/ˈwɔtəɹ stəf/
British, Southern, Standard:[ˈwoːthəstəf]
British, Southern, Standard:[ˈwoːthə stəf]
1
noun
Meaning 1
Things containing, associated with, or involving water.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Hydrogen.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard, rare, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Compound of water + stuff. Alternative spellings * water-stuff * water stuff
From water + stuff. Calque of Dutch waterstof (“hydrogen”) or German Wasserstoff (“hydrogen”).