# sump

> English word · Noun · IPA /sʌmp/ · frequency rank #41,400

## Definitions
1. A hollow or pit into which liquid drains, such as a cesspool, cesspit or sink.
2. The lowest part of a mineshaft into which water drains.
3. A completely flooded cave passage, sometimes passable by diving.
4. The crankcase or oil reservoir of an internal combustion engine.
5. The pit at the lowest point in a circulating or drainage system (FM 55-501).
6. An intentional depression around a drain or scupper that promotes drainage.
7. A sudden or heavy fall of rain; a deluge.

## Etymology
From Middle English sompe, either from Middle Dutch somp, sump or Middle Low German sump from Old Saxon *sump, from Proto-West Germanic *sump, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *sumpaz. Doublet of swamp.

## Easily confused with
- **sun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sun)
- **SUV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-suv)
- **sup** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sup)
- **Sus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sus)
- **SVP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-svp)
- **sure** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sure)
- **swap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-swap)
- **sung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sung)
- **sums** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sums)
- **surf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-surf)
- **sunk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sunk)
- **suns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-suns)
- **SUVs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-suvs)
- **SUNY** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-suny)
- **supp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-supp)
- **sura** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-sura)
- **swamp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sump-vs-swamp)
- **SP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sp-vs-sump)
- **su** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/su-vs-sump)
- **SM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sm-vs-sump)

## Common misspellings (6)
`smup`, `ssump`, `summp`, `sumpp`, `supm`, `usmp`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sump