Definition of: basin

(bā′sən) noun
1. A round, wide, shallow vessel, often with sloping sides, used especially for holding liquids.
2. The amount that a basin will hold.
3. A sink or wash bowl.
4. A depression in the earth's surface, as a valley, or the region drained by a river.
5. A depressed region in the floor of the ocean.
6. A comparatively circular and shallow area or arm of the sea: the Minas Basin. [<OF bacin <LL bachinus <bacca bowl]
—ba′sined adjective
—ba′sin·like′ adjective