landfill

American  

[land-fil] / ˈlændˌfɪl /

noun

1. a low area of land that is built up from deposits of solid refuse in layers covered by soil.

2. the solid refuse itself.

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verb (used without object)

1. to create more usable land by this means.

verb (used with object)

1. to make (an area of land) by means of a landfill.

2. to use in a landfill.

   to landfill millions of tons of garbage each year.

landfill British  

/ ˈlændˌfɪl /

noun

1. 1. disposal of waste material by burying it under layers of earth

   2. ( as modifier )

      landfill sites

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landfill Scientific  

/ lănd′fĭl′ /

1. A disposal site where solid waste, such as paper, glass, and metal, is buried between layers of dirt and other materials in such a way as to reduce contamination of the surrounding land. Modern landfills are often lined with layers of absorbent material and sheets of plastic to keep pollutants from leaking into the soil and water.

2. Also called sanitary landfill

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Etymology

Origin of landfill

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; land + fill

Explanation

A landfill is a pit that is covered with dirt after being filled with waste of some kind. Some landfills are filled in with rocks for the specific purpose of raising the earth and building something on it. Garbage dumps are often called landfills, even when they're not literal pits that are filled and covered, and while "hole full of trash" might be your first thought when you hear the word, landfills are often simply a way of solidifying the ground for building. Many port cities, including Boston and Portland, Maine, have entire neighborhoods, once just areas covered in water, that were built on landfills.

Example Sentences

About 50 sanitation workers were buried when refuse toppled onto them Thursday from what a city councillor estimated was a height of 20 storeys at the Binaliw Landfill, a privately operated facility in Cebu City.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

Rescuers pulled 12 injured sanitation workers from debris at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City, who were later hospitalised.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

In one case, researchers saw a large methane plume appear to emanate from Newby Island Landfill in San José and drift into a nearby residential neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2025

Landfill taxes have made the option progressively more expensive that incineration, where the rubbish is burnt in a furnace to create electricity.

From BBC • Nov. 5, 2025

On a recent weekday afternoon, debris trucks lined up for several hundred yards outside the weigh station at Simi Valley Landfill & Recycling Center.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2025

Related Words

• depot
• junkyard