Meanings
plural gray waters · alternative graywater · alternative greywater · alternative grey water
- countableuncountableWater that is not clean enough to be potable, such as having been used for washing, but not contaminated with fecal matter or other source of dangerous bacteria or dangerous or noxious materials.
Its tunnels will have thinned like unhealthy arteries, before twisting and buckling under the weight of the shifting ice, slowly leaching diesel fuel, toxic chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls, grey water and radiological waste.
2020, David Farrier, “The Library of Babel”, in Footprints, 4th Estate, →ISBNSynonyms: sullage
Synonyms & antonyms
nounWater that is not clean enough to be potable, such as having been used for washing, but not contaminated with fecal matter or other source of dangerous bacteria or dangerous or noxious materials.
Translations
Afrikaans gryswater
- gryswaternon-potable, but non-toxic water
Chinese Mandarin 中水, 灰水
- 中水 (zhōngshuǐ)non-potable, but non-toxic water
- 灰水 (huīshuǐ)non-potable, but non-toxic water
- 可再利用廢水 /可再利用废水 (kě zài lìyòng fèishuǐ)non-potable, but non-toxic water
Dutch grijswater
- grijswaternon-potable, but non-toxic water
Finnish harmaa vesi, harmaavesi
- harmaa vesinon-potable, but non-toxic water
- harmaavesinon-potable, but non-toxic water
- pesuvesinon-potable, but non-toxic water
French eau de ménage, eaux grises
- eau de ménagenon-potable, but non-toxic water
- eaux grisesnon-potable, but non-toxic water
German Grauwasser, Nutzwasser
- Grauwassernon-potable, but non-toxic water
- Nutzwassernon-potable, but non-toxic water
Japanese 中水, 雑排水
- 中水 (chūsui)non-potable, but non-toxic water
- 雑排水 (zappaisui)non-potable, but non-toxic water
Polish woda szara
- woda szaranon-potable, but non-toxic water
Portuguese água cinza
- água cinzanon-potable, but non-toxic water
Russian се́рая вода́, бытовы́е сто́чные во́ды
- се́рая вода́ (séraja vodá)non-potable, but non-toxic water
- бытовы́е сто́чные во́ды (bytovýje stóčnyje vódy)non-potable, but non-toxic water
Spanish aguas grises, agua gris
- aguas grisesnon-potable, but non-toxic water
- agua grisnon-potable, but non-toxic water
Vietnamese nước xám
- nước xámnon-potable, but non-toxic water
Cite this entry
gray water. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gray%20water
“gray water.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gray%20water. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gray water,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gray%20water.
Source: gray water on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.