What does spruit mean?
A spruit is a small stream, especially one running through a rural or mountainous landscape. In South African English, the word is familiar from Afrikaans and is often used in descriptions of farms, veldts, and open country, where a small watercourse may cross the land or run beneath a bridge. It can also denote a narrow jet of water issuing from a pipe or spring. The expression “dry spruit” has a wider figurative meaning in southern Africa: it describes a person or organization with no money, just as a dry stream bed has no water. Although “spruit” can evoke the sparse landscapes of southern Africa, it remains a regional term rather than general international English. It should not be confused with “sprout,” which refers to a young plant or shoot.
A small stream or the watercourse from which a stream flows.
"Cattle gathered beside the spruit during the dry season."
Chiefly South African; also used in Afrikaans.
A narrow jet or spout of flowing water.
"A steady spruit poured from the open pipe."
This sense is especially associated with southern African usage.
In English, the standard plural is spruits; Afrikaans commonly uses spruite.
"Several spruits join the river beyond the ridge."
In South African English, a “dry spruit” can mean an empty bank account as well as a stream bed with no water.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spruit come from?
English borrowed the word from Afrikaans, where spruit means a small stream or jet of water. Afrikaans in turn borrowed it from Dutch sput, a word related to English spout and associated with a stream’s source or the issuing of water. More distant relatives include Latin words such as sputum and spume, which belong to the broader family of words connected with spitting or spurting.
Related word forms
How spruit is actually used
Chiefly used in South African English and Afrikaans. The expression “dry spruit” is idiomatic in southern Africa for having no money. The word can sound literary or regional to speakers unfamiliar with southern African usage.
Easily confused with spruit
A sprout is a young plant shoot, whereas a spruit is a small stream or a jet of water.