Other forms: watersheds
A watershed is the ridge dividing which way the rainwater runs. The watershed between the valleys, a continental watershed.
In American usage it means the whole basin that drains to one river, not the dividing line, which is a real source of confusion between the two. Figuratively a watershed is a turning point. In British broadcasting the watershed is nine at night, before which adult material may not be shown.
1nounwatershedThe ridge dividing which way rainwater runs.
“Rain falling on one side of the watershed flows east, and on the other side west.”
2nounturningA turning point.
“The invention of the printing press was a watershed in European history.”
watershed is a dividing line, or a turning point.
Water plus shed, translating German Wasserscheide. The shed here means a parting, as in the parting of hair.
German
Wasserscheide
English, today
watershed
From water + shed. A German Wasserscheide.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Nature & Weather