millpond

Etymology

From mill + pond.

Why this word is great

MILLPOND — [Noun] A pond or reservoir created by damming a river or stream to supply water for a millrace. From mill (a building equipped with machinery for grinding grain) + pond (a small body of still water). Unlike "lake" (a natural or larger body of water, not specifically created to power a mill) or "reservoir" (a general artificial water storage area, not necessarily linked to milling operations), a millpond is purpose distilled to utility—a still surface that belies the labor beneath. It is the glassy plane where dragonflies skim, the mirrored edge where willows dip, the deceptive calm before the water is funneled into motion, turning wheel and stone. A millpond is patience made liquid, waiting to be spent.

noun

A pond or reservoir produced by damming a river or stream in order to provide a steady source of water for a millrace.“When I came to the saw-mill at Brække, the sky was overcast, it was already growing dark, only above the level of the north-western horizon there appeared a streak of light, which threw a subdued glimmer on the tranquil surface of the mill-pond.”