levee

¹

[ lev-ee ]

noun

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

verb (used with object)

, lev·eed, lev·ee·ing.

1. to furnish with a levee:

   to levee a treacherous stream.

levee

²

[ lev-ee, le-vee ]

noun

1. (in Great Britain) a public court assembly, held in the early afternoon, at which men only are received.
2. a reception, usually in someone's honor:

   a presidential levee at the White House.

3. History/Historical. a reception of visitors held on rising from bed, as formerly by a royal or other personage.

levee

¹

/ ˈlɛvɪ; ˈlɛveɪ /

noun

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

levee

²

/ ˈlɛvɪ /

noun

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

levee

/ lĕv′ē /

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of levee¹

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

Origin of levee²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of levee¹

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

Origin of levee²

C18: from French, from Medieval Latin levāta, from Latin levāre to raise

Example Sentences

A Jan. 22 storm filled a north levee near the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant with more than 1,100 tons of debris.

From Los Angeles Times

Levee disasters like the one in the Monterey County community of Pajaro show the risks.

From Los Angeles Times

Doctor said the package submitted to the Pulitzer board included on-the-ground reporting, as well as blogs, newsletters and texts produced for readers as the storms hammered California’s Central Coast, causing landslides, levee failures and widespread destruction.

From Los Angeles Times

In Atlanta, he said, Black fans couldn’t buy tickets and were forced to watch Robinson play from a levee behind the right field fence.

From Los Angeles Times

Think of levee failures during Hurricane Katrina.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• dam