Flood: meaning, definitions and examples

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flood

 

[ flʌd ]

Noun / Verb
Oxford 3000 Nature
Context #1 | Noun

natural disaster

A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. Floods can be caused by heavy rainfall, melting snow, ice jams, or dam failures. They can result in damage to property, loss of life, and displacement of communities.

Synonyms

deluge, inundation, overflow

Examples of usage

  • The town was devastated by a flood after days of heavy rain.
  • Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate their homes due to the flood.
Context #2 | Verb

to cover with water

To flood means to overflow or submerge something with water. It can also refer to overwhelming someone or something with a large quantity of things.

Synonyms

engulf, inundate, submerge

Examples of usage

  • He accidentally flooded the bathroom by leaving the faucet running.
  • The market was flooded with cheap imitations of the popular product.

Translations

Translations of the word "flood" in other languages:

🇵🇹 inundação

🇮🇳 बाढ़

🇩🇪 Überschwemmung

🇮🇩 banjir

🇺🇦 повінь

🇵🇱 powódź

🇯🇵 洪水 (こうずい)

🇫🇷 inondation

🇪🇸 inundación

🇹🇷 sel

🇰🇷 홍수

🇸🇦 فيضانات

🇨🇿 povodeň

🇸🇰 povodeň

🇨🇳 洪水 (hóngshuǐ)

🇸🇮 poplava

🇮🇸 flóð

🇰🇿 су тасқыны

🇬🇪 წყალდიდობა

🇦🇿 daşqın

🇲🇽 inundación

Word origin

The word 'flood' has Old English origins, coming from the word 'flōd' which meant a flow of water, tide, or sea. The concept of floods has been present throughout history, with many civilizations experiencing devastating floods that shaped their societies. Floods have often been associated with destruction and renewal, leading to various cultural and religious interpretations of this natural phenomenon.

See also: flooded, flooding, floodlight.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,219, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.