Landfills

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A designated site for the disposal of waste materials, where refuse is buried under layers of soil to minimize environmental impact
2. A controlled area where garbage and debris are deposited, managed to contain pollution and manage waste decomposition
3. An engineered location used for the disposal of solid waste, functioning by isolating trash within the earth to reduce harmful effects on nature

Etymology: "Landfills" is the plural of "landfill," a compound of "land" and "fill." The sense is literal: ground is filled with material, and the word's parts are about as plain as English compounds get. Its meaning has changed from a simple act of filling low ground to a regulated facility for waste, with the modern sense tied to how dumps are now engineered to contain pollution.

Synonyms: dumps, sites, repositories, waste sites, disposal areas