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

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, < 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

In a 3-0 vote, the DWP board signed off on the final environmental impact report for an $800-million modernization of Units 1 and 2 of the Scattergood Generating Station in Playa Del Rey.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

On the coastal road at Playa Canizo, a man in a straw hat and sodden fatigues, clasping an equally wet suitcase, thrust out his left arm, hoping for a ride to safety.

Read more on Barron's

On the playa, attendees often wear masks and costumes.

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They use playa names, such as cactus or fuzzypants, making possible suspects hard to identify.

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The playa is arranged as a semicircle, and radial streets are named as if their position were a clock face.

Read more on Salon