Ditchwater
/ˈdɪtʃˌwɔːtər/noun
Water collected in a ditch, often stagnant or dirty.
Did you know?In English, ditchwater became a byword for something dull or lifeless because stagnant water in roadside ditches was a familiar symbol of decay and neglect.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
dīc
“A ditch, trench, or embankment.”
Old English
OE
wæter
“Water.”
Middle English
ME
ditch-watere
“Water in a ditch; stagnant drainage water.”
Modern English
English
ditchwater
“Water in a ditch, especially if muddy, stagnant, or filthy.”