ground level

noun

plural ground levels
1
a
: the level of the ground taken as a reference point
From ground level, the arrayed fields of feed corn and soybeans look … like sprint tracks or Olympic pools, replete with the angles and alleys of serious tennis.David Foster Wallace
These survey flights were conducted at 300 feet above ground level. During the return flight to Schefferville, the aircraft descended and flew over terrain at an altitude varying between 100 and 40 feet above ground level.Targeted New Service
compare sea level
b
: the story (see story entry 3 sense 1a) of a building with its floor aligned to ground level : ground floor sense 1
It was a two-story house with white siding on the ground levelNeil Sheehan
2
: the state of a physical system (as of an atomic nucleus or an atom) having the least energy of all the possible states : ground state

Examples of ground level in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The rose will likely suffer stem dieback to near ground level or the whole plant might not survive. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2024 This rule also applies to floors below ground level. Shaun Lewis, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 These two consecutive years are separated by a good degree of sedimentation — Nash says a flood likely covered up the remains of the first camp, setting a new ground level the following year. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024 Follow along for live coverage Water levels in some parts of the region reached more than 15 feet above ground level, the National Hurricane Center said, citing preliminary storm surge models. Melissa Chan, NBC News, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ground level 

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ground level was in 1787

Dictionary Entries Near ground level

Cite this Entry

“Ground level.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20level. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!