floodwaters
UK: ˈflʌdˌwɔːtəz | US: ˈflʌdˌwɔːtərz
n. The waters of a flood; the overflowing or inundation of water, typically from a river or heavy rainfall, covering normally dry land.
The word combines "flood," derived from Old English flōd (meaning "flowing water, tide, or deluge"), with "waters," the plural form of "water" (from Old English wæter). Together, they literally mean "the waters of a flood," emphasizing the collective mass or expanse of water during an inundation. The term reflects a straightforward compounding of two concrete nouns to describe a natural phenomenon.
The floodwaters submerged entire villages after days of heavy rain.
Rescue teams worked tirelessly to evacuate people trapped by rising floodwaters.
After the hurricane, the floodwaters took weeks to recede.
Farmers feared the floodwaters would destroy their crops.
The bridge collapsed under the force of the raging floodwaters.