landfall

noun

land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl 

1

: a sighting of land after a voyage or flight

2

: a reaching of land (as by a traveler, craft, or storm)

3

: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight

Examples of landfall in a Sentence

From the deck of the boat, we saw our first landfall.

Recent Examples on the Web

Beryl by the numbers While only a Category 1 hurricane at landfall, Beryl produced significant impacts — particularly in Texas. 2.3 million power outages Roughly 2.3 million customers lost power in southeastern Texas during Beryl, the majority of them in the greater Houston area. —Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 9 July 2024

This was a mistake, as the model indicated a landfall about 80 miles south of Houston, which would bring the core of the storm's strongest winds over Houston. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 9 July 2024

The Colorado State report also details the probabilities of at least one major hurricane landfall in different regions after July 8. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2024

For now its winds are forecast to reach 90 mph before landfall, but that number could rise if Beryl stays over the Gulf longer. —Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 5 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing landfall

• make landfall

Kids Definition

landfall

noun

land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl 

1

: a sighting or making of land after a voyage or flight

2

: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight