# catchment

/ˈkætʃmənt/ (US) · /kˈætʃmənt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/catchment
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

the specific area where a school gets its students or a hospital gets its patients. It can also mean the area of land where all the rain collects into one river or lake.

For teachers: the geographical area served by a specific institution, such as a school or hospital; also the entire land area that drains into a particular watercourse or reservoir.

## Examples

- We moved house to be inside the school's catchment area.
- The new regional hospital has a vast catchment that includes several remote rural villages and two small towns.
- Heavy industrial runoff from the upper catchment has significantly degraded the water quality of the estuary, impacting local fishing industries and biodiversity.

## Usage notes

- Often used in the compound phrase 'catchment area' when referring to social services or education.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.