— basinal , adj. — basined , adj. — basinlike , adj.
/bay"seuhn/ , n.
1. a circular container with a greater width than depth, becoming smaller toward the bottom, used chiefly to hold water or other liquid, esp. for washing.
2. any container of similar shape, as the pan of a balance.
3. the quantity held by such a container: We need another basin of water to dilute the mixture.
4. a natural or artificial hollow place containing water.
5. a partially enclosed, sheltered area along a shore, often partly man-made or dredged to a greater depth, where boats may be moored: a yacht basin.
6. Geol. an area in which the strata dip from the margins toward a common center.
7. Physical Geog.
a. a hollow or depression in the earth's surface, wholly or partly surrounded by higher land: river basin.
b. See drainage basin .
8. Bot. the depression in an apple, pear, or other pome at the end opposite the stem.
[ 1175-1225; ME bacin bac ( c ) inum ( bacc ( a ) water vessel, BACK 3 + -inum -INE 1 ); perh. further related in Latin to BEAKER ]