Pond

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /pɒnd/

Definitions

1. A small body of still water, smaller than a lake, often found in parks or gardens
2. A body of usually freshwater that is smaller than a lake and can be natural or artificially created, which supports various aquatic organisms and plants
3. A relatively small, tranquil body of water that is often smaller than a lake and can occur naturally or be man-made, hosting diverse wildlife

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "pond" is that it is a close cousin of "pound," the word for an enclosure. Before it meant a small body of still water, the Old English form was probably "pond" or "pand," attested mainly in place names, and it is a variant of "pund," meaning an enclosure. A pond, in other words, was once understood as a walled-in or fenced-off area, an idea that fits a basin of water held in place. The two words went separate ways in English while sharing that root. "Pound" kept the sense of an enclosure, such as a pen for stray animals, and later became a unit of weight and money, while "pond" narrowed to water alone. Middle English then gave us "pond" and "ponde," meaning pond or pool.

Synonyms: lake, pool, waterbody

Antonyms: desert, land