1. a person who searches for underground water or minerals using a divining rod or similar device
Usage: also called water witch or diviner; the practice is not scientifically validated

Examples

• The dowser walked across the property with a forked stick, looking for signs of underground water.
• Some farmers hire a dowser to locate the best spot to dig a well.
• The dowser claimed the rod would bend when it detected water beneath the surface.
• Although many people believe in dowsers, scientists have found no evidence that the practice works.
• The old dowser had spent decades searching for hidden springs in the countryside.