playa

1 of 2

noun (1)

pla·​ya ˈplī-ə 

: the flat-floored bottom of an undrained desert basin that becomes at times a shallow lake

playa

2 of 2

noun (2)

variant spelling of player sense f

Examples of playa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In 2023, torrential rain turned the playa into thick mud, leaving many Burners, including Christian, stranded in the desert. — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 24 July 2026

The dust doesn’t come only from the Salton Sea playa. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026

Spring and fall offer bearable temps—prime time for gravel biking, off-roading, land sailing, hot-spring soaking, or astrophotography on the playa’s flat, hard surface. — Ted Alvarez, Outside, 9 Mar. 2026

The Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge and the Alvord Desert playa in neighboring Harney County are two nice spots, but any place away from lights and with clear views will do. — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Spanish, literally, beach, from Late Latin plagia — more at plage

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1854, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for playa

• gaia
• maia
• maya
• via
• hezekiah
• jeremiah
• nehemiah
• obadiah
• zechariah
• messiah
• nyaya
• papaya