Basin Meaning
/ˈbeɪs(ə)n/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA wide bowl for washing, sometimes affixed to a wall.
nounA shallow bowl used for a single serving of a drink or liquidy food.
Sentence Examples
The basin of a river usually has rich farmland.
This district forms a basin.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The river slowly carved a wide ____ over thousands of years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Please make sure to wash your hands in the ____ before you eat your food.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Celtic *baskis Gaulish *baskisder. Vulgar Latin bacca Vulgar Latin *baccinum Old French bacinbor. Middle English basyn English basin From Middle English basyn, from Old French bacin, from Vulgar Latin *baccinum (“wide bowl”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"First, as you know, my house within the city
Is richly furnished with plate and gold,
Basins and ewers to lave her dainty hands;"
— c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
"After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 13:5:
"What then, you will say, must a man sit with his chops and fingers up to the ears and knuckles in grease? No; let those who cannot eat without defiling themselves, step into another room, provided with basons and towels: but I think it would be better to institute schools, where youth may learn to eat their victuals, without daubing themselves, or giving offence to the eyes of one another."
— 1766, T[obias] Smollett, “Letter V”, in Travels through France and Italy. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] R[oberts] Baldwin, […], →OCLC:
"Everybody had washed before going to bed, apparently, and the bowls were ringed with a dark sediment which the hard, alkaline water had not dissolved. Shutting the door on this disorder, he turned back to the kitchen, took Mahailey’s tin basin, doused his face and head in cold water, and began to plaster down his wet hair."
— 1923, Willa Cather, One of Ours, Book One, Chapter 1:
"[…] Mr. John Knightley, ashamed of his ill-humour, was now all kindness and attention; and so particularly solicitous for the comfort of her father, as to seem—if not quite ready to join him in a basin of gruel—perfectly sensible of its being exceedingly wholesome […]"
— 1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], Emma: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The river slowly carved a wide ____ over thousands of years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Please make sure to wash your hands in the ____ before you eat your food.