polder

noun pol·der \ ˈpōl-dər \

Definition of polder

: a tract of low land (as in the Netherlands) reclaimed from a body of water (such as the sea)

Recent Examples of polder from the Web

But the nation's engineers became masters of draining wetlands by creating what are called polders: Tracts of land surrounded by dikes that were then drained or pumped dry.

— ken jennings, CNT, "Why the Netherlands' Borders Are Always Changing," 28 Aug. 2017
That is, in part, because the 6,000 kilometers of embankments that surround the polders are helping to fuel sea level rise.

— eduardo garcia gil, Slate Magazine, "Rising Seas Are Flooding Bangladeshi Farms With Salt Water," 7 Aug. 2017
Kinderdijk, which translates to children's dike, lies in the Alblasserwaard polder (land that's been reclaimed from the sea, marshes or river floodplains) at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers.

— john marshall, chicagotribune.com, "Kinderdijk windmills a must-see on any trip to Holland," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'polder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.