Drainage

/ˈdreɪnɪdʒ/

nounBeginnerCommonTechnology

Definitions

2 meanings
1

The process or system by which water or other liquids are removed from an area.

/ˈdreɪnɪdʒ/

nounneutralBeginner
Technology

The act or process of draining something.

The heavy rain overwhelmed the city's drainage system.

💡 Simply: Imagine a water slide but for rain! Drainage is like the pipes and ditches that help water go away from places like your house or a farm, so they don't get flooded. Like if your bathtub doesn't have good drainage, the water stays, and you end up swimming!

👶 For kids: When water goes away from a place, like down a pipe or into the ground, that's called drainage!

More Examples

2

Farmers need good drainage to prevent their crops from being waterlogged.

3

The hospital performed a drainage procedure to remove fluid from the patient's chest.

How It's Used

Engineering

"The city's drainage system is being upgraded to handle heavy rainfall."

Agriculture

"Good drainage is essential for healthy crop growth."

Medical

"The doctor inserted a tube for drainage of the wound."

2

A system of pipes, ditches, or other structures that are used for drainage.

/ˈdreɪnɪdʒ/

nounneutralmedium
Technology

The system or means by which something is drained.

The drainage system was updated to prevent flooding.

💡 Simply: Like how your sink has a drain to get rid of water, buildings and land have their own ways of getting rid of water, too. It could be pipes, ditches, or a special kind of ground. All of these things together make the drainage system.

👶 For kids: The special pipes or ditches that take water away from places like your house or a farm.

More Examples

2

The new road incorporates an improved drainage system.

3

The field requires a good drainage system to prevent water logging.

How It's Used

Architecture

"The building's drainage is designed to collect and remove rainwater."

Construction

"Proper drainage around the foundation is crucial for preventing water damage."

Tip:Think of the pipes under the sink or the ditches by the road. These are the drainage systems!

From Middle English *draynage*, derived from the verb "drain" + the suffix "-age". "Drain" itself comes from Old English *drīegan* or *drēahnian*, meaning "to draw off liquid."

Used since the 16th century to describe the action of drawing off water.

Memory tip

Think of rain and the pipes that remove it. Drainage is what makes sure the water doesn't stay and flood the streets.

dranagedrenagedrainadge

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written