waterbag

See also: water-bag and water bag

English

Etymology

From water +‎ bag.

Noun

waterbag (plural waterbags)

1. A bag for carrying water.
   • 1895, “Waltzing Matilda”, Banjo Paterson (lyrics)‎^[1]:

     Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda my darling
     Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me
     Waltzing Matilda and leading a water-bag
     Who'll come a'waltzing Matilda with me.

   • 1983, Wilma Stockenström, translated by J. M. Coetzee, The Expedition to the Baobab Tree, London: Faber & Faber, page 90:

     We had no waterbags. We lived on the veldfoods that quite by chance I had learned to pick out by keeping an eye on the bearers.

   • 2010, Jean M. Auel, The Shelters of Stone, →ISBN:

     Somewhat later, Ayla picked up her waterbag to get a drink, found it empty, then put it down and forgot about her thirst.

   • 2011, Lenore Layman, Criena Fitzgerald, 110 degrees in the Waterbag, →ISBN, page 165:

     The men took their lunch, usually Romano cheese, ham or Italian sausage and bread, and a waterbag.

2. (historical) The bag-like compartment in a camel's hump in which the animal was once believed to store water; in fact it is fatty tissue.

Alternative forms

• water-bag, water bag

Coordinate terms

• (camel): water cell