water hammer

noun

A surge of pressure in a pipe carrying a fluid; especially the banging sound in a steam or hot water pipe caused by bubbles of air, or by an abrupt alteration of the flow.

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Meanings

nounwater hammer (countable and uncountable, plural water hammers)

plural water hammers · alternative waterhammer

  1. uncountableA surge of pressure in a pipe carrying a fluid; especially the banging sound in a steam or hot water pipe caused by bubbles of air, or by an abrupt alteration of the flow.
  2. countablehistoricalA metal hammer used when heated, as by dipping in hot water, to blister the skin, as for counterirritation.
Cite this entry
APA

water hammer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/water%20hammer

MLA

“water hammer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/water%20hammer. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “water hammer,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/water%20hammer.

Source: water hammer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.