A pond is a small, shallow body of still water, smaller than a lake and often small enough to see across. You might find a pond in a park, on a farm, or in someone's backyard. Ponds form naturally in low spots where rainwater collects, or people dig them deliberately to create habitat for wildlife or simply for their beauty.

Unlike rivers or streams, ponds don't flow. Their water sits relatively still, which makes them perfect homes for frogs, turtles, dragonflies, and fish like bluegill or koi. Lily pads often float on the surface, and cattails grow around the edges. On a farm, cows might drink from a stock pond. In a garden, a decorative pond might have a fountain or goldfish swimming beneath the surface.

The phrase across the pond is a playful way to refer to the Atlantic Ocean, usually when talking about travel between the United States and Britain. Someone might say, “My cousin lives across the pond in London,” even though the Atlantic is obviously much bigger than any pond.