Standard Lemma guide

floodgate

name · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈflʌdˌɡeɪt/
  • /ˈflʌdɡeɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F L AH1 D G EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A series of allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and irregularities in flood control projects in the Philippines during and before the administration of President Bongbong Marcos.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Philippine, neologism

Topics: government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An adjustable gate or valve used to control the flow of water through a sluice.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Anything that controls or limits an outpouring of people, emotion, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Qualifier: extension

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A stream that passes through a floodgate; a torrent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

regulator consisting of a valve or gate that controls the rate of water flow through a sluice

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sluicegate, sluice valve, penstock, head gate, water gate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: regulator

6

noun

Meaning 6

something that restrains a flood or outpouring

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • suspension of surveillance opened the floodgates to illegal immigrants

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: restraint

History

Etymology

From floodgate.

From Middle English flodegate, flodgate, flodeyate, floodȝate, flodȝete, equivalent to flood + gate.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: بوابة ايقاف الفيضان — gate or valve
  • Bulgarian: шлюз (šljuz) — gate or valve
  • Bulgarian: шибър (šibǎr) — gate or valve
  • Chinese Mandarin: 防洪閘 /防洪闸 (fánghóngzhá) — gate or valve
  • Esperanto: kluzo — gate or valve
  • Finnish: tulvaluukku — gate or valve
  • French: vanne — gate or valve
  • German: Schieber — gate or valve
  • German: Schleusentor — gate or valve
  • German: Schleuse — gate or valve
  • Hungarian: zsilip — gate or valve
  • Irish: bualchomhla — gate or valve
  • Irish: comhla loic — gate or valve
  • Irish: comhla uisce — gate or valve
  • Irish: haiste — gate or valve
  • Irish: loc-chomhla — gate or valve
  • Italian: paratoia — gate or valve
  • Italian: chiusa — gate or valve
  • Italian: scolmatore — gate or valve
  • Italian: canale di scarico — gate or valve
  • Italian: scolmatoio — gate or valve
  • Middle English: flodegate — gate or valve
  • Polish: śluza — gate or valve
  • Bulgarian: врата́ (vratá) — anything that controls or limits an outpouring
  • Bulgarian: барие́ра (bariéra) — anything that controls or limits an outpouring
  • Finnish: portti — anything that controls or limits an outpouring
  • German: Tür und Tor — anything that controls or limits an outpouring
  • Italian: chiusa — anything that controls or limits an outpouring
  • Middle English: flodegate — anything that controls or limits an outpouring
  • Polish: śluza — anything that controls or limits an outpouring