watermark
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A distinguishing mark impressed on paper during manufacture.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
wawtermahrkSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈwɔtɚmɑɹk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A distinguishing mark impressed on paper during manufacture; visible when paper is held up to the light
A translucent design impressed on the surface of paper and visible when the paper is held to the light.
A mark indicating the level to which water has risen.
by extension
A logo superimposed on a digital image, a television broadcast, etc.
verb
transitive
To mark paper with a watermark.
transitive
To mark a datafile with a digital watermark.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A mark indicating the level to which water has risen.
Used this way, watermark is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Nearby words
- water line , a specialist term, precise but narrower
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: distinguishing mark impressed on paper during manufacture
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