playa

[plahy-uh]

noun

1. Western U.S.,  the sandy, salty, or mud-caked flat floor of a desert basin having interior drainage, usually occupied by a shallow lake during or after prolonged, heavy rains.

playa

/ ˈplɑːjə, ˈplaja /

noun

1. (in the US) a temporary lake, or its dry often salty bed, in a desert basin

playa

1. A dry lake bed at the bottom of a desert basin, sometimes temporarily covered with water. Playas have no vegetation and are among the flattest geographical features in the world.

2. Also called sink

Word History and Origins

Origin of playa¹

1850–55, < Spanish: shore < Late Latin plagia; plage

Word History and Origins

Origin of playa¹

Spanish: shore, from Late Latin plagia, from Greek plagios slanting, from plagos side; compare French plage beach

Example Sentences

The intense winds reportedly injured four attendees and damaged some of the pieces of art displayed in what is known as Burning Man Playa.

From Los Angeles Times

The famous festival, which also draws millionaires and tech executives, was also the site of a surprise birth after a woman, who said she was unaware she was pregnant, delivered a baby Wednesday at Black Rock City on the Playa.

From Los Angeles Times

“The playa,” a nearly six-square-mile patch on a 200-mile Pleistocene era lakebed, is what Burners call the festival zone.

From Salon

“Our own home office is over two hours’ drive away from the playa,” Allen told Salon.

From Salon

They adopt playa names like Fuzzypants, Sexy Bacon and Cactus, which provide an opportunity to be anonymous.

From Salon