Added 8 October 2026
floodgate
/ˈflʌdˌɡeɪt/ noun
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about floodgate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
Something that restrains a flood or outpouring.
suspension of surveillance opened the floodgates to illegal immigrants
- Regulator consisting of a valve or gate that controls the rate of water flow through a sluice.
Origin
From Middle English flodegate, flodgate, flodeyate, floodȝate, flodȝete, equivalent to flood + gate.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)