floodplain

noun

flood·​plain ˈfləd-ˌplān 

1

: level land that may be submerged by floodwaters

2

: a plain built up by stream deposition

Examples of floodplain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Depressions, areas below slopes, and land beside streams and floodplains are more likely to contain wetland soils. — Dr. Avishesh Neupane, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026

Part of the property lies in the Mary’s Creek floodplain, and nearby homeowners feared the development would worsen flooding on their side of the waterway. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026

As Reclamation District 108 leaves some fields dry, the goal will be to move a levee back so the river can spread out, restoring a natural floodplain, Bair said. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Canney adds that seeds can also disperse by water, traveling down rivers and streams to colonize floodplains. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for floodplain

• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• blockchain
• butane
• campaign

Kids Definition

floodplain

noun

flood·​plain -ˌplān 

1

: low flat land along a stream or river that may flood

2

: a plain built up from earth left by floodwaters