Etymograph

English

cistern

Cistern comes from Latin cisterna ‘cistern, tank (for water), reservoir’, from cista ‘box’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek κίστη.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκίστη1kístē‘box’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcista1‘box’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcisterna1‘cistern, tank (for water), reservoir’
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400cisterne1
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cisterne1
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1847cistern1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English cistern
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1847, editorial staff, Improvement in Water Taps, Cister Valves, &c.: “For cistern valves, they are well adapted—opening the full…”.

Earlier history uncertain. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκίστηWiktionary, English cisternkístē‘box’
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcistaWiktionary, English cistern‘box’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcisternaWiktionary, English cistern‘cistern, tank (for water), reservoir’
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400cisterneWiktionary, English cistern
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cisterneWiktionary, English cistern
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1847cisternWiktionary, English cistern. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1847, editorial staff, Improvement in Water Taps, Cister Valves, &c.: “For cistern valves, they are well adapted—opening the full…”

Linked words

through Latin cista ‘box’

chest, kist, 4 more

Today it means

noun A reservoir or tank for holding water, especially for catching and holding rainwater for later use.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “cistern”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek κίστη / cistern

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