| Backwater | A remote or stagnant place | Hinterland, boondocks | “The small village felt like a backwater.” |
| Freshwater | Water that is not salty | Sweet water, potable water | “Lake Tahoe is a freshwater lake.” |
| Saltwater | Ocean or sea water | Brine, seawater | “Saltwater fish need special care.” |
| Meltwater | Water from melted snow/ice | Glacial runoff | “The meltwater formed a rushing stream.” |
| Headwater | The source of a river | River origin, spring | “We hiked to the headwaters of the Amazon.” |
| Stillwater | Calm, unmoving water | Placid water | “The stillwater reflected the sunset.” |
| Blackwater | Dark swamp water | Bog water | “The blackwater marshes looked eerie.” |
| Whitewater | Fast, frothy river water | Rapids, turbulent water | “We went whitewater rafting in Colorado.” |
| Groundwater | Water beneath the earth’s surface | Subsurface water | “Groundwater levels are dropping.” |
| Rainwater | Precipitation collected from rain | Stormwater | “We use rainwater for our garden.” |
| Seawater | Ocean water | Saltwater, brine | “Seawater contains about 3.5% salt.” |
| Tapwater | Water from a faucet | Municipal water | “Is your tapwater safe to drink?” |
| Bilgewater | Dirty water in a ship’s bottom | Foul water | “The bilgewater smelled terrible.” |
| Breakwater | A barrier to protect against waves | Jetty, seawall | “The breakwater shielded the harbor.” |
| Clearwater | Clean, transparent water | Pristine water | “Clearwater Beach has white sand.” |
| Dishwater | Water used for washing dishes | Soapy water | “The dishwater was greasy and cold.” |
| Firewater | Strong alcoholic liquor | Moonshine, whiskey | “He took a swig of firewater.” |
| Floodwater | Water from overflowing rivers | Inundation | “Floodwater covered the roads.” |
| Holywater | Water blessed for religious rites | Sacred water | “The priest sprinkled holywater.” |
| Icewater | Very cold water | Chilled water | “She drank icewater on the hot day.” |
| Limewater | Calcium hydroxide solution | Alkaline water | “Limewater turns cloudy with COâ‚‚.” |
| Moonwater | Water under moonlight (poetic) | Lunar-touched water | “She collected moonwater at midnight.” |
| Overwater | Located above water | Water-top | “We stayed in an overwater bungalow.” |
| Powerwater | Water used in hydroelectric systems | Turbine water | “The powerwater turned the generators.” |
| Purewater | Completely clean water | Distilled water | “The lab requires purewater.” |
| Quenchwater | Water that satisfies thirst | Refreshing water | “After the hike, any water was quenchwater.” |
| Rosewater | Fragrant water made with rose petals | Floral water | “She sprayed rosewater on her face.” |
| Slopwater | Wastewater from cleaning | Dirty water | “The slopwater drained into the sewer.” |
| Stormwater | Rainfall runoff | Rainwater | “The city improved stormwater drainage.” |
| Tailwater | Water downstream from a dam | Outflow | “Fishermen gathered at the tailwater.” |
| Tearwater | Water from crying (poetic) | Salty water | “Her tearwater stained the letter.” |
| Tidewater | Water affected by tides | Coastal water | “Tidewater regions flood at high tide.” |
| Underwater | Beneath the water’s surface | Submerged | “We explored the underwater cave.” |
| Wastewater | Used water from |
