Mol-ecules of the title compound, [Cu(C(21)H(17)N(3)O(4))(H(2)O)], lie across a crystallographic mirror plane. The Cu(II) atom is five-coordinated in a distorted square-pyramidal environment by two phenolate O atoms and two imine N atoms of the tetra-dentate Schiff base anion in the basal plane and one water mol-ecule in the apical position. Because of symmetry, the pyridine N atom and the corresponding C atom at the 4-position of the pyridine ring are disordered. The crystal packing can be described as being composed of alternating layers stacked along [001]. Intra-molecular C-H⋯N and inter-molecular C-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter-actions, as well as C-H⋯π and π-π stacking inter-actions [shortest centroid-centroid distance = 3.799 (8) Å and inter-planar distance = 3.469 (2) Å] are observed.