Etymology
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basin (n.)

"large shallow vessel or dish used chiefly to hold water or other liquid," c. 1200, from Old French bacin (11c., Modern French bassin), from Vulgar Latin *baccinum (source also of Spanish bacin, Italian bacino), from *bacca "water vessel," perhaps originally Gaulish (but OED dismisses the proposed Celtic cognates on sense grounds). The meaning "large-scale artificial water-holding landscape feature" is from 1712. The geological sense of "tract of country drained by one river or draining into one sea" is from 1830.

Entries linking to basin

basinet (n.)

"small, light, rounded steel headpiece," c. 1300, from Old French bacinet, bassinet, diminutive of bacin (see basin).

bassinet (n.)

"wicker cradle," 1854, from French bassinet "a little basin," diminutive of bassin (see basin), or, as per Klein, the English word is from French bercelonette, double diminutive of berceau "cradle," altered by bassin "basin." Middle English had bacinet "hemispherical helmet" (c. 1300).

baste (v.2)

"to soak (cooking meat) in gravy or molten fat, moisten," late 14c., of unknown origin, possibly from Old French basser "to moisten, soak," from bassin "basin" (see basin). Related: Basted; basting.

updated on October 04, 2022

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Dictionary entries near basin

basics

basil

Basil

basilica

basilisk

basin

basinet

basis

bask

Baskerville

basket

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