Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- any geological formation containing or conducting ground water, especially one that supplies the water for wells, springs, etc.
noun
- a porous deposit of rock, such as a sandstone, containing water that can be used to supply wells
1897, coined from Latin aqui-, comb. form of aqua “water” (see aqua-) + -fer “bearing,” from ferre “to bear” (see infer).
- An underground layer of permeable rock, sediment (usually sand or gravel), or soil that yields water. The pore spaces in aquifers are filled with water and are interconnected, so that water flows through them. Sandstones, unconsolidated gravels, and porous limestones make the best aquifers. They can range from a few square kilometers to thousands of square kilometers in size.