What does "levee" mean?
An elevated ridge of deposited sediment on the banks of a river, formed by the river's overflow at times of high discharge.
Levee
/ˈlɛvi/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An elevated ridge of deposited sediment on the banks of a river, formed by the river's overflow at times of high discharge.
- Grammar: levee is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: affair, arch dam, assemblee, assembly.
- Usage evidence: The levee kept the floodwater back.
How to use "levee"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "levee" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "levee" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "levee" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "levee" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "levee" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "affair" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "levee", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An elevated ridge of deposited sediment on the banks of a river, formed by the river's overflow at times of high discharge.
- 2 The act of rising; getting up, especially in the morning after rest. obsolete
"c. 1763, Thomas Gray, letter to Mr. Nichols And look before you were up in the morning, though you were a punctual courtier at the sun's levee"
- 3 an embankment that is built in order to prevent a river from overflowing wordnet
- 4 An embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the Mississippi.
- 5 A reception of visitors held after getting up.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a pier that provides a landing place on a river wordnet
- 7 The steep bank of a river. US
"The purchaser of a riparious estate under the words "front to the levee," does not acquire the alluvion or batture, when there is land susceptible of separate ownership beyond the levee."
- 8 A formal reception, especially one given by royalty or other leaders.
"I must take my leave, for the Cardinal holds a levee to-day, and let those fail in attendance who want nothing."
- 9 a formal reception of visitors or guests (as at a royal court) wordnet
- 10 The border of an irrigated field. US
- 11 A pier or other landing place on a river. US
Verb
- 1 To keep within a channel by means of levees. US, transitive
"to levee a river"
- 2 To attend the levee or levees of. transitive
"He levees all the great."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The levee kept the floodwater back."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "levee"?
Common synonyms include: affair, arch dam, assemblee, assembly, assignation, at home.
How do you use "levee" in a sentence?
The levee kept the floodwater back.
How do you pronounce "levee"?
Pronounced /ˈlɛvi/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French levée, from lever (“to raise, rise”).
Etymology 2
From French levé variant of the noun lever (“the act of getting up in the morning”).