playa

[ plahy-uh ]

noun

1. Western U.S. the sandy, salty, or mud-caked flat floor of a desert basin having interior drainage, usually occupied by a shallow lake during or after prolonged, heavy rains.

playa

/ ˈplɑːjə; ˈplaja /

noun

1. (in the US) a temporary lake, or its dry often salty bed, in a desert basin

playa

/ plī′ə /

1. A dry lake bed at the bottom of a desert basin, sometimes temporarily covered with water. Playas have no vegetation and are among the flattest geographical features in the world.
2. Also called sink

Word History and Origins

Origin of playa¹

1850–55, Americanism; < Spanish: shore < Late Latin plagia; plage

Word History and Origins

Origin of playa¹

Spanish: shore, from Late Latin plagia, from Greek plagios slanting, from plagos side; compare French plage beach

Example Sentences

Carling says the next step is to differentiate the playas, then consider additional sources, such as other playas, agriculture, and oil and gas development.

From Popular-Science

Thus, while the lake once covered some 1,750 square miles, its waters now dampen barely more than half that area, leaving a zone of playa larger than the San Francisco Bay.

From Outside Online

Whale watchers—a popular activity in the first three months of the year—can check out Playa la Cachora.

From The Daily Beast

To truly get off the grid, Playa Cerritos is just a few miles up the road on Highway 19.

From The Daily Beast

The town is located just near Playa Pescadero, near the tiny town of El Pescardo.

From The Daily Beast

A brackish lagoon surrounded by mangroves and coconut groves, located just east of Playa Azul.

From Project Gutenberg

I ascended one, and we proceeded slowly along the Playa or strand.

From Project Gutenberg

But finding nothing, he passed on to Playa Honda, where he arrived late, more than two hours after the sun had risen.

From Project Gutenberg

Then he went to Buquil and did the same as in Playa-Honda, breaking and burning all the instruments of their idolatries.

From Project Gutenberg

In the wet season the playa is covered with a thin sheet of muddy water, a playa lake, supplied usually by some stream at flood.

From Project Gutenberg