Landfill Definition, Usage & Key Facts

Meaning 1：waste burial site (landfill)

landfill 🔊

/ˈlændfɪl/

A big hole in the ground where our trash is dumped and covered with soil.

Landfill site diagram showing waste burial, soil layering, and heavy machinery operation for compaction.

waste burial site 🔊

➕

/weɪst ˈbɛriəl saɪt/

A designated area where solid waste is disposed of by burying it in the ground and covering it with soil, often engineered to prevent environmental harm.

📁 Category：Buildings & Places 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From 'land' + 'fill', meaning to fill land with waste.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine 'land' being 'filled' with garbage; it's a dump site.

📖 Example

The environmentalist explained that reducing plastic use is crucial to prevent our local landfill from getting too full. 🔊 The environmentalist emphasized that decreasing plastic consumption is vital to stop the nearby waste disposal site from becoming overloaded.

🔗 Collocations

landfill site – a specific location used for waste disposal by burial

landfill gas – methane produced by decomposing waste in landfills

landfill capacity – the maximum amount of waste a landfill can hold

🔄 Synonyms

dump (n.) – a site for depositing garbage

waste disposal site (n.) – a facility for getting rid of waste

rubbish tip (n.) – British term for a place where refuse is dumped

🚫 Antonyms

recycling facility (n.) – a place where materials are processed for reuse instead of being discarded

🌱 Derivatives

landfilling (n.) – the process of disposing waste in a landfill

landfilled (adj.) – describing waste that has been disposed of in a landfill

📖 Cultural Story

The term 'landfill' emerged in the 20th century for engineered waste disposal sites. It combines 'land' (earth) and 'fill' (to make full), reflecting the method of burying trash.