megadrought

[ meg-uh-drout ]

noun

1. a severe drought lasting for two or more decades:

   The driest parts of the American West are already in the grips of a megadrought.

Word History and Origins

Origin of megadrought¹

First recorded in 2000–05; mega- ( def ) + drought ( def )

Example Sentences

Western states have faced a decadeslong megadrought—the worst in more than a thousand years.

From Slate

When might the megadrought end?

From Los Angeles Times

They found that this megadrought wouldn’t be nearly as severe without global warming, estimating that 42% of its severity was attributable to higher temperatures.

From Los Angeles Times

Benjamin Cook, a climate scientist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies who co-authored the megadrought research, said the methods in the latest study are sound and the findings are similar, though he also said there is considerable uncertainty in the future projections the scientists used.

From Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles County residents have been removing their lawns to save money and water during the megadrought.

From Los Angeles Times