Plural of cistern; large containers or tanks used to store water or other liquids, often built underground.
From Latin cisterna meaning 'underground tank,' derived from cista (box or chest). The word traveled through Romance languages and entered English during the medieval period when cisterns became common architectural features.
Before modern plumbing, cisterns were literally a family's life or death—they stored rainwater for drinking, washing, and surviving droughts, which is why so many ancient cities were built near them or invested heavily in building them.
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