ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sewer

n. · v.
US //ˈsuɝ// sew·er
  1. 1 waste pipe (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    an underground pipe or channel that carries away waste water and refuse from buildings.

    an artificial, usually subterranean conduit for carrying off waste water and refuse.

    Example

    The city is replacing the old sewer pipes to prevent flooding during heavy rain.

    Example

    Engineers discovered that the Victorian sewer system was struggling to cope with the increased volume of waste from the new housing development.
  2. 2 household official (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    a servant in a royal or noble house who arranged the table and served food.

    a high-ranking household official in a medieval or early modern noble house responsible for seating guests and serving dishes.

    Example

    The royal sewer directed the servants as they brought the feast into the hall.

    Example

    In the historical chronicle, the sewer is described as a figure of significant influence within the king's immediate domestic circle.
  3. 3 to install drainage (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    to build a system of waste pipes in a specific area.

    to provide a district or building with a system of sewers for drainage.

    Example

    The council plans to sewer the remote village by the end of next year.

    Example

    The cost of sewering the mountainous region proved prohibitive for the local municipality, leading to a search for alternative waste solutions.
Etymology 1

From Middle English sewer, seuer, from Anglo-Norman sewere (“water-course”), from Old French sewiere (“overflow channel for a fishpond”), from Vulgar Latin exaquāria (“drain for carrying water off”), from Latin ex (“out of, from”) + aquāria (“of or pertaining to waters”) or from a root exaquāre.

Etymology 2

From Middle English seware, seuere, from Anglo-Norman asseour, from Old French asseoir (“find a seat for”), from Latin assidēre, present active participle of assideō (“attend to”), from ad (“to, towards, at”) + sedeō (“sit”).

Etymology 3

sew + -er

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026