levee
1
[ lev-ee ]
/ ˈlɛv i /
noun
an embankment designed to prevent the flooding of a river.
Geology.
natural levee.
Agriculture.
one of the small continuous ridges surrounding fields that are to be irrigated.
History/Historical.
a landing place for ships; quay.
verb (used with object), lev·eed, lev·ee·ing.
to furnish with a levee: to levee a treacherous stream.
Origin of levee
1
1710–20,
Americanism; < French
levée < Medieval Latin
levāta embankment, noun use of feminine past participle of Latin
levāre to raise, orig. lighten, akin to
levis light, not heavy
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH levee
levee levyWords nearby levee
Definition for levee (2 of 2)
levee
2
[ lev-ee, le-vee ]
/ ˈlɛv i, lɛˈvi /
noun
(in Great Britain) a public court assembly, held in the early afternoon, at which men only are received.
a reception, usually in someone's honor: a presidential levee at the White House.
History/Historical.
a reception of visitors held on rising from bed, as formerly by a royal or other personage.
Origin of levee
2
1665–75; < French
levé, variant spelling of
lever rising (noun use of infinitive) < Latin
levāre to raise; see
levee1
Example sentences from the Web for levee
British Dictionary definitions for levee (1 of 2)
levee
1
/ (ˈlɛvɪ) /
noun US
an embankment alongside a river, produced naturally by sedimentation or constructed by man to prevent flooding
an embankment that surrounds a field that is to be irrigated
a landing place on a river; quay
Word Origin for levee
C18: from French, from Medieval Latin
levāta, from Latin
levāre to raise
British Dictionary definitions for levee (2 of 2)
levee
2
/ (ˈlɛvɪ, ˈlɛveɪ) /
noun
a formal reception held by a sovereign just after rising from bed
(in Britain) a public court reception for men, held in the early afternoon
Word Origin for levee
C17: from French, variant of
lever a rising, from Latin
levāre to raise
Scientific definitions for levee
levee
[ lĕv′ē ]
A long ridge of sand, silt, and clay built up by a river along its banks, especially during floods.
An artificial embankment along a rivercourse or an arm of the sea, built to protect adjoining land from inundation.