hydraulic

Etymology

From French hydraulique, from Latin hydraulicus, from Ancient Greek ὑδραυλικός (hudraulikós, “of a water organ”), from ὕδραυλις (húdraulis, “water organ”), from ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”) + αὐλός (aulós, “pipe”).

adj

1. Pertaining to water.
   Tho' there are but seventeen feet water in the channel, I have seen vessels of five hundred ton enter into it. I know not why this entrance is left so neglected, as we are not in want of able engineers in France, in the hydraulic branch, a part of the mathematics to which I have most applyed myself. 1757, Antoine-Simon Le Page du Pratz, History of Louisiana, page 47
2. Related to, or operated by, hydraulics.
   A hydraulic press is operated by the differential pressure of water on pistons of different dimensions.

verb

1. (transitive) To mine using the technique of hydraulic mining.