playa

1 of 2

noun (1)

pla·​ya ˈplī-ə How to pronounce playa (audio)
: 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
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Noun
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 The largest art piece on the playa was designed and constructed–inflated actually—by Ukraine. Dennis Hinkamp, Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for playa

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of playa was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Playa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/playa. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

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