What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
dike
Example
The farmers built a dike to protect their fields from the river's floods. [dike: noun]
Example
The engineers are planning to dike the river to prevent erosion. [dike: verb]
levee
Example
The city built a levee to protect the downtown area from the river's floods. [levee: noun]
Example
The workers are reinforcing the levee to prevent it from collapsing. [levee: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Levee is more commonly used than dike in everyday language, especially in the United States. However, both words are widely used in technical and scientific contexts related to water management and engineering.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between dike and levee?
Both dike and levee are formal words that are typically used in technical and scientific contexts related to water management and engineering. However, levee may be slightly more versatile and can be used in a wider range of contexts than dike.
