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reservoir

n. · v.
US //ˈɹɛzəvˌwɑɹ// UK //ɹˈɛzəvwˌɑː// reser·voir
  1. 1 water storage (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a large natural or artificial lake used to store water for a city or region.

    a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply for domestic, industrial, or agricultural use.

    Example

    The city built a new reservoir in the hills to ensure there was enough water during the dry summer.

    Example

    Following the prolonged drought, the water level in the main reservoir dropped to its lowest point since the dam was constructed forty years ago.
  2. 2 a large supply (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    a large amount or source of something, like knowledge, energy, or feelings.

    a large supply or source of something, often used figuratively for abstract qualities or resources.

    Example

    She has a deep reservoir of patience when dealing with difficult customers.

    Example

    The researcher tapped into a vast reservoir of historical data that had previously been overlooked by the academic community.
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  1. 3 disease host (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

    a person or animal that carries a disease without getting sick, allowing the disease to survive and spread.

    a population or species that serves as a host for a pathogen, maintaining it over time and potentially transmitting it to other species.

    Example

    Scientists believe that certain types of bats act as a reservoir for the virus.

    Example

    Identifying the animal reservoir is a critical step in preventing the spillover of zoonotic diseases into human populations.
  2. 4 computing component (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Computing

    a part of a computer system that processes signals in a complex way.

    a fixed, usually non-linear dynamical system used to map input signals into a high-dimensional space in reservoir computing.

    Example

    The reservoir in this neural network helps process data more efficiently.

    Example

    In reservoir computing, the internal states of the reservoir are sampled and mapped to the desired output through a trained linear layer.

  3. 5 to store (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Technical

    to keep or store something in a large supply.

    to store or accumulate something in or as if in a reservoir. Transitive use is less common than the noun form.

    Example

    The system is designed to reservoir excess energy during the day for use at night.

    Example

    The geological formation has the capacity to reservoir significant quantities of natural gas beneath the cap rock.
Origin

From French réservoir (“collection place”) (fig.), réservoir (“storehouse”) (lit.). in turn from French réserver (“to reserve, keep”).

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