watermill

IPA/ˈwɔːtəmɪl/
IPA/ˈwɔːtərmɪl/

watermill — noun

1. a small factory beside flowing water that uses the water's movement to turn a he

1.nounB1
Definition

a small factory beside flowing water that uses the water's movement to turn a heavy wheel, which then powers the equipment for making flour from grain

Example

The old watermill beside the River Avon still grinds wheat into flour every Saturday.

collocation: old / restored watermill + beside [river]

Hui visited a restored watermill and watched the wheel turn as water rushed past.

Common collocations
  • old watermill
  • restored watermill
  • working watermill
  • watermill beside a river
  • watermill on a stream
  • watermill wheel
  • wooden watermill
  • historic watermill
Synonyms
  • mill

    a broader, more common term that can be powered by water, wind, electricity, or other sources; watermill is a specific subtype

  • gristmill

    refers specifically to a mill that grinds grain into flour, regardless of power source; a watermill may also power other types of machinery

  • water wheel

    refers only to the wheel itself, not the whole building with its grinding machinery

Antonyms
  • windmill

    uses wind rather than flowing water to turn its wheel

Usage Note

Frequently describes a historic or traditional rural building. Distinguish from windmill, where the wheel is turned by wind rather than moving water. The water wheel itself is the visible round structure on the outside, while the grinding machinery is inside the building.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Watermill, mill, gristmill, and windmill all refer to a building or machine that processes materials, most often grain. Mill is the most general term — it can describe any grinding machine or the building that houses it, regardless of power source (e.g., 'a coffee mill,' 'an old mill by the river'). Gristmill is narrower: it specifically means a mill built for grinding grain into flour, though it says nothing about how the machinery is powered. Watermill adds the defining element of a water wheel turned by a stream or river, while windmill uses sails or blades turned by the wind. In everyday conversation, a native speaker might say 'mill' even when referring to a watermill ('We visited the old mill in the valley'). Use the more precise term when the power source is what matters — for example, when contrasting with windmills on a tour of historic buildings.

watermill ↗mill ↗gristmillwindmill ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • watermill beside a river
  • restored watermill
  • working watermill
  • historic watermill

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinEnglish

A compound of 'water' (from Old English wæter) and 'mill' (from Old English mylen, borrowed from Latin molina, meaning a mill, which in turn came from mola 'millstone'). The word describes a mill that harnesses the power of flowing water to rotate its wheel and operate the grinding stones inside.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined above