reservoir
gb/ɹˈɛzəvwˌɑɹ/ us/ɹˈɛzəvwˌɑɹ/
B2
English
~ 9500
víztározó, tartalék, tárház, tartály, rezervoár, tárolókőzet, rezervoárgazda
NOUN
B2
1
víztározó
B2
Usage pattern:
a reservoir of [water] near [a place]
The city draws most of its drinking water from a reservoir in the nearby mountains.
A város ivóvizének nagy részét a közeli hegyekben lévő víztározóból nyeri.
After months of drought, water levels in the main reservoir dropped to a record low.
Hónapokig tartó aszály után a fő víztározó vízszintje rekordalacsonyra csökkent.
The new dam created a vast reservoir that supplies power and irrigation to the whole region.
Swimming is not allowed in the reservoir because it is used for drinking water.
Engineers inspected the reservoir wall for cracks after the earthquake.
Learner examples
The town gets its water from a large reservoir.
A város a vizét egy nagy víztározóból kapja.
There is a big reservoir behind the dam.
A gát mögött egy nagy víztározó van.
In summer, the level of the reservoir goes down.
They built a new reservoir to store more water.
The reservoir gives water to many homes.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "reservoir" with "lake" and use it for any large body of water. A reservoir is specifically for storing water for use, usually man‑made or controlled by people. Another mistake is spelling it as *reservior* or pronouncing the last syllable like "wire" instead of "vwor" /ˈrez.ə.vwɑːr/ (AmE often /ˈrez.ər.vwɑːr/).
Meaning
artificial lake storing water
Collocations
water reservoir
|dam and reservoir
|drinking-water reservoir
|reservoir levels
|reservoir capacity
|reservoir system
Synonyms
artificial lake (More descriptive phrase; emphasizes that the water body is man‑made.)
|
water storage (Broader and more technical; can refer to tanks or other systems, not just lakes.)
Antonyms
dry riverbed (Highlights the absence of stored surface water where it might otherwise flow.)
|
shortage (Focuses on not having enough water instead of having a place to store it.)
Themes
environment
|infrastructure
|geography
|nature
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A large man‑made lake that holds water for people to use later, for example for drinking or making electricity.
A large artificial or controlled lake where water is collected and stored, especially for supplying a town, city, or region.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
a reservoir of [abstract noun]
Her calm manner comes from a deep reservoir of self-confidence.
Nyugodt modora egy mély önbizalomtartalékból fakad.
The country still has a huge reservoir of untapped talent in rural areas.
Az országnak még mindig hatalmas, kiaknázatlan tehetségtartaléka van a vidéki területeken.
We were able to draw on a reservoir of data collected over ten years.
Despite the crisis, there remains a strong reservoir of goodwill toward the organization.
He found a reservoir of inner strength he didn’t know he had.
Learner examples
She has a reservoir of energy and never seems tired.
Hatalmas energiatartaléka van, és soha nem tűnik fáradtnak.
The team has a big reservoir of experience.
A csapat nagy tapasztalati tartalékkal rendelkezik.
He used a reservoir of courage to speak in public.
The company still has a reservoir of money for hard times.
Teachers can use a reservoir of online materials.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"a reservoir for knowledge"* instead of the more natural pattern *"a reservoir of knowledge"*. Another confusion is using "reservoir" only for water and not realizing it is very common with abstract nouns like "talent", "energy", or "goodwill".
Meaning
large supply of something
Collocations
a reservoir of talent
|a reservoir of knowledge
|a reservoir of goodwill
|a deep reservoir of patience
|tap into a reservoir
|draw on a reservoir
Synonyms
store (Very close in meaning but more general and a bit simpler; can sound less formal than "reservoir" in abstract uses.)
|
resource (Emphasizes something useful that can be used; often broader and more practical than "reservoir".)
Antonyms
scarcity (Stresses that there is very little or not enough of something instead of a large supply.)
|
lack (General word for not having something, the opposite of having a deep supply.)
Themes
abstract
|resources
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|communication
Definition
A big amount of something, especially a feeling, ability, or information, that you can use when you need it.
A large supply or store of something, especially of a quality, feeling, or information, that can be drawn on when needed.
NOUN
B2
3
tartály
B1
Usage pattern:
the reservoir of [a machine or device]
Make sure the printer’s ink reservoir is full before you start the job.
Mielőtt elkezded a munkát, győződj meg róla, hogy a nyomtató tintatartálya tele van.
The mechanic topped up the brake fluid reservoir during the service.
A szerelő a szervizelés során utántöltötte a fékfolyadék-tartályt.
A small plastic reservoir feeds water to the steam iron.
The design includes a transparent fuel reservoir so you can see when to refill it.
Air bubbles in the reservoir can reduce the efficiency of the hydraulic system.
Learner examples
Please fill the water reservoir in the coffee machine.
Kérlek, töltsd fel a kávéfőző víztartályát.
The pen stops working when its ink reservoir is empty.
A toll nem működik, amikor kiürül a tintatartálya.
You need to check the brake fluid reservoir in your car.
This spray bottle has a small reservoir for the liquid.
The air pump has a reservoir where the air is stored.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "reservoir" can be used for very small containers, such as parts of a pen or household appliance, not only for large lakes. They also sometimes overuse the word "tank" instead of "reservoir" even in technical instructions where "reservoir" is standard.
Meaning
container in device for fluid
Collocations
ink reservoir
|fuel reservoir
|coolant reservoir
|brake fluid reservoir
|hydraulic reservoir
|fill the reservoir
Synonyms
tank (Informal and common; often used when the container is larger or more visible.)
|
chamber (More technical and general; may refer to any enclosed space, not only for storage.)
Antonyms
empty chamber (Describes the absence of stored fluid where a reservoir would normally hold some.)
Themes
technology
|everyday life
|science
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A part of a machine or tool that holds liquid or gas until it is needed.
A container or part of a machine, device, or system in which a liquid or gas is stored before it is used.
NOUN
C1
4
rezervoár
C2
tárolókőzet
C2
Usage pattern:
an underground reservoir of [oil/gas/water]
The company discovered a new oil reservoir beneath the seabed.
A vállalat új olajrezervoárt fedezett fel a tengerfenék alatt.
Natural gas from the underground reservoir is piped to homes across the region.
A föld alatti rezervoárból származó földgázt vezetéken juttatják el a térség otthonaiba.
Over time, pressure in the reservoir declines as more oil is extracted.
Engineers study the structure of the reservoir rock to estimate how much gas it can hold.
The field contains several separate reservoirs at different depths.
Learner examples
They found a big oil reservoir under the sea.
Egy nagy olajrezervoárt találtak a tenger alatt.
Gas in the underground reservoir is used for heating homes.
A föld alatti rezervoárban lévő gázt otthonok fűtésére használják.
When the reservoir is empty, the oil field closes.
The rock around the reservoir holds the oil in place.
Scientists measure how much oil is in the reservoir.
Common mistake:
Learners may think an underground reservoir is an open cave full of liquid, but it is usually liquid or gas held in tiny spaces in rock. They may also confuse this with surface reservoirs like lakes if context is unclear.
Meaning
underground pool of oil or gas
Collocations
oil reservoir
|gas reservoir
|underground reservoir
|subsurface reservoir
|reservoir rock
|depleted reservoir
Synonyms
deposit (Common in non-technical speech, but less specific; can refer to any natural accumulation of a substance.)
|
field (In oil and gas, often used for the larger area that may contain several reservoirs.)
Antonyms
dry well (Refers to drilling that finds no usable oil or gas, the opposite of a productive reservoir.)
Themes
energy
|geology
|science
|nature
Definition
A natural space in rock deep under the ground where oil, gas, or water is held.
A natural underground formation of porous rock or sediment in which oil, gas, or water collects and is stored.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
5
rezervoár
C2
Usage pattern:
a reservoir of [a disease or pathogen]
Fruit bats are believed to be a natural reservoir for the virus.
A gyümölcsevő denevéreket a vírus természetes rezervoárjának tartják.
Identifying the animal reservoir is crucial for preventing future outbreaks.
Az állati rezervoár azonosítása kulcsfontosságú a jövőbeli járványkitörések megelőzéséhez.
Humans can act as a long-term reservoir of infection in crowded urban areas.
Standing water can serve as a reservoir for mosquito-borne diseases.
Public health efforts focus on controlling both human cases and the underlying reservoir.
Learner examples
Some animals are a reservoir for dangerous viruses.
Egyes állatok veszélyes vírusok rezervoárjai.
Doctors want to find the reservoir of the disease.
Az orvosok szeretnék megtalálni a betegség rezervoárját.
If we remove the animal reservoir, the illness may stop.
Bats can be a natural reservoir for many viruses.
Dirty water can be a reservoir of infection.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand and think a "reservoir" of disease is always a physical container like a tank. In this medical sense, it is usually a living host or a whole population where the disease lives. They may also confuse "reservoir" with "vector"; a vector (like a mosquito) carries the pathogen, while a reservoir is where it normally lives and multiplies.
Meaning
host population for a pathogen
Collocations
disease reservoir
|animal reservoir
|natural reservoir
|reservoir host
|wildlife reservoir
|reservoir of infection
Synonyms
carrier (Usually refers to an individual that carries a pathogen; "reservoir" is often broader and can be a whole population or environment.)
|
host population (Highlights that the organism group supports the pathogen; slightly more descriptive and less technical than "reservoir".)
Antonyms
eradication (The complete removal of a pathogen from a population, the opposite of having a persistent reservoir.)
Themes
health
|science
|medicine
Definition
In health and disease studies, a person, animal, or place where a disease lives and grows and from where it can spread.
In medicine and epidemiology, a person, animal, population, or environment in which a pathogen normally lives, multiplies, and from which it can spread to others.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reservoir
IPA
GB/ɹˈɛzəvwˌɑɹ/
US/ɹˈɛzəvwˌɑɹ/
Syllables & stress
reser - voir (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (reser)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: reservoir
- Plural: reservoirs
Word family
Forms
reservoirs
noun
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
unreserved
adjective
Expressions
a reservoir of [something]
1/ə ɹˈɛzəvwˌɑɹ əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
a large internal supply
Used to say that someone or something has a very large amount of something, usually a feeling, ability, or quality, that they can use when they need it.
Examples
- Parents need a reservoir of patience when raising young children.
- The community has a reservoir of goodwill that helps it recover from setbacks.
- Successful leaders often draw on a reservoir of experience built over many years.