noun

levee

LEH-vee

Levee (noun) means an embankment built along a river to prevent flooding. Example: “The levee failed during the storm, flooding several neighborhoods.”

noun

An embankment built along a river to prevent flooding.

"The levee failed during the storm, flooding several neighborhoods."

"Workers reinforced the levee with sandbags ahead of the flood."

How to use levee

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA raised wall of earth built along a riverbank to stop flooding.

UK vs US

Especially associated with American English, particularly in the context of the Mississippi River.

Common pairings

the levee broke build a levee levee failure

Word forms

leveed past tense, leveed past tense, levees plural, levees plural, levees singular, levees singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ failed during the storm, flooding several neighborhoods.

Etymology

From French levee, "raised (thing)," from lever, "to raise."

Origin: French

Rhymes for levee

ee see bee wee nee pee fee tee zee gee vee ree

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Frequently asked questions

What does “levee” mean?

The word “levee” means an embankment built along a river to prevent flooding. In plain terms, a raised wall of earth built along a riverbank to stop flooding.

How do you pronounce “levee”?

“Levee” is pronounced LEH-vee (/ˈlɛvi/ in IPA).

How do you use “levee” in a sentence?

Here is “levee” used in a sentence: “The levee failed during the storm, flooding several neighborhoods.”

What part of speech is “levee”?

“Levee” is a noun.

Where does the word “levee” come from?

The word “levee” comes from French. From French levee, "raised (thing)," from lever, "to raise.".