wishing well

US, UK/ˈwɪʃɪŋ wɛl/

noun

A well or other water feature into which individuals traditionally cast coins or small objects while making a wish, based on the cultural belief that the act may bring good fortune or help fulfil the wish.

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Meanings

nounwishing well (plural wishing wells)

plural wishing wells

  1. A well or other water feature into which individuals traditionally cast coins or small objects while making a wish, based on the cultural belief that the act may bring good fortune or help fulfil the wish.

    Spitting in a wishing well / Blown to hell, crash / I'm the last splash / I know you, little libertine / I know you're a real cuckoo

    1993, “Cannonball”, in Last Splash, performed by The Breeders
    1 more example

    In the burial ground is a wishing-well named after St Augustine - the first Archbishop of Canterbury - who, in the 6th century, is said to have blessed it.

    1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 110
verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of wish well

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 許願井 /许愿井
  • 許願井 /许愿井 (xǔyuànjǐng)well where wishes were thought to be granted
Finnish toivomuskaivo
  • toivomuskaivowell where wishes were thought to be granted
French puits à souhaits
  • puits à souhaitswell where wishes were thought to be granted
German Wunschbrunnen
  • Wunschbrunnenwell where wishes were thought to be granted
Irish tobar rúin
  • tobar rúinwell where wishes were thought to be granted
Persian چاه آرزو
  • چاه آرزو (čâh-e ârezu)well where wishes were thought to be granted
Polish studnia życzeń
  • studnia życzeńwell where wishes were thought to be granted
Portuguese poço dos desejos
  • poço dos desejoswell where wishes were thought to be granted
Russian колодец желаний
  • колодец желаний (kolodec želanij)well where wishes were thought to be granted
Spanish pozo de los deseos
  • pozo de los deseoswell where wishes were thought to be granted
Swedish önskebrunn
  • önskebrunnwell where wishes were thought to be granted
Cite this entry
APA

wishing well. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wishing%20well

MLA

“wishing well.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wishing%20well. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wishing well,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wishing%20well.

Source: wishing well on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.