“Levees” or “Levies”—Which to use?

“Levees” or “Levies”

Overview

levees / levies are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇

Definitions

levees: (noun) a formal reception of visitors or guests (as at a royal court). (noun) a pier that provides a landing place on a river. (noun) an embankment that is built in order to prevent a river from overflowing.

levies: (noun) a charge imposed and collected. (noun) the act of drafting into military service. (verb) impose and collect.

Pronunciation

levees: l·EH·v·iy·z

levies: l·EH·v·iy·z

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Examples in Context

Examples of “levees”

…are often formed between the levees of adjacent rivers.
…the east, also over the levees.
Mississippi Levees
…caused the formation of river levees due to deposition from the…
Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi
…the river is contained by levees in this section.
…breaks its natural or artificial levees and deposits sediment on a…

Examples of “levies”

In addition to the Levies, the indigenous Maliki and Khasadari…
The council levies taxes, enacts ordinances, adopts the…
…in raising and organising native levies and local Defence Corps in…
…Aide-de-Camp to the Commandant, Iraq Levies
…existed between the Khurasani Arab levies (muqatila) and the 20,000 Syrian…
…responded by serving them with levies for water use.
…to resign from the Iraq Levies, a formidable and highly capable…
The levies paid by investment funds and…
…addition, the papacy imposed many levies on the abbey.
…lately Commanding 4th Battalion Iraq Levies

(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions drawn from WordNet.)

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