LEVEE Definition & Meaning

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levee

[ lev-ee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an embankment designed to prevent the flooding of a river.
Geology. natural levee.
Agriculture. one of the small continuous ridges surrounding fields that are to be irrigated.
History/Historical. a landing place for ships; quay.

verb (used with object)

leveed, leveeing.

to furnish with a levee:
to levee a treacherous stream.

levee

[ lev-ee, le-vee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

(in Great Britain) a public court assembly, held in the early afternoon, at which men only are received.
a reception, usually in someone's honor:
a presidential levee at the White House.
History/Historical. a reception of visitors held on rising from bed, as formerly by a royal or other personage.

levee

/ ˈ��ɛ��ɪ /

noun

an embankment alongside a river, produced naturally by sedimentation or constructed by man to prevent flooding
an embankment that surrounds a field that is to be irrigated
a landing place on a river; quay

levee

/ ˈ��ɛ��ɪ; ˈlɛveɪ /

noun

a formal reception held by a sovereign just after rising from bed
(in Britain) a public court reception for men, held in the early afternoon

levee

/ ��ĕ��′ŧ /

A long ridge of sand, silt, and clay built up by a river along its banks, especially during floods.
An artificial embankment along a rivercourse or an arm of the sea, built to protect adjoining land from inundation.

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of levee¹

An Americanism dating back to 1710–20; from French ��é�� past participle of lever “to raise”; levee ²( def ), lever

Origin of levee²

First recorded in 1665–75; from French ��é, variant spelling of lever “rising (from bed)” (noun use of infinitive); levee ¹, lever

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of levee¹

C18: from French, from Medieval Latin ��ٲ�, from Latin �� to raise

Origin of levee²

C17: from French, variant of lever a rising, from Latin �� to raise

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Some areas, such as around Huntington Beach and Bolsa Chica, saw their tsunami hazard areas shrink after new analysis indicated levees and ponds would help better protect the public than originally thought.

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In the wild, their burrowing behavior can breach levees and weaken structural foundations, per the state fish and wildlife department.

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In Obion County, Tennessee, heavy rains there caused a levee to break, "resulting in rapid onset flooding", a local NWS account said on X.

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Traditionally, governments have turned to hard infrastructure like seawalls and levees to guard against floods.

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Focusing instead on strengthening levees in the Delta and restoring tidal marshlands, he said, would ensure that water is “delivered to the doorstep of your existing pumps reliably.”

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