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Beach vs Playa - What's the difference?

beach | playa |

As a proper noun beach

is .

As a noun playa is

(geology|us) a level spot temporarily covered with water which subsequently becomes dry by evaporation; an alkali flat or salt pan or playa can be (aave|slang) dude.

beach

English

(wikipedia beach)

Noun

(es)
  • The shore of a body of water, especially when sandy or pebbly.
  • * , chapter=1
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path […]. It twisted and turned,
  • (rft-sense) A horizontal strip of land, usually sandy, adjoining water.
  • *
  • The loose pebbles of the seashore, especially worn by waves; shingle.

    • Synonyms

    * * (horizontal strip of land adjoining water) sand, strand, backshore

    Derived terms

    {{der3, beach break , beach volleyball , beachball , beachberry , beachboy , beachcast , beachcomber , beachfront , beach flea , beachgrass , beachline , beach wagon}}

    Verb

    (es)
  • To run (something) aground on a beach.

    • Synonyms

    * strand

    Derived terms

    * unbeached

    playa

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (wikipedia playa) (en noun)
  • (geology, US) a level spot temporarily covered with water which subsequently becomes dry by evaporation; an alkali flat or salt pan.

    • Etymology 2

    From a non-rhotic pronunciation of player

    Noun

    (wikipedia playa) (en noun)
  • (AAVE, slang) dude
  • (AAVE, slang) player
    • ----