drainage basin


noun

the area drained by a river and all its tributaries. Also called catchment area, drainage area.Compare watershed(def 2).

Origin of drainage basin

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Words nearby drainage basin

Example sentences from the Web for drainage basin

British Dictionary definitions for drainage basin

drainage basin

drainage area


noun

another name for catchment area

Scientific definitions for drainage basin

drainage basin
[ drānĭj ]

An area drained by a river system. A drainage basin includes all areas that gather precipitation water and direct it to a particular stream, stream system, lake, or other body of standing water.