1. shallow depressions in the ground that hold water temporarily, typically formed by impermeable clay layers
Usage: geology; plural form

Examples

• The claypans filled with rainwater during the wet season.
• Wildlife depends on these claypans for drinking water.
• The claypans dried up completely by midsummer.
• Migratory birds often stop at claypans to rest and feed.
• The impermeable clay beneath prevents water from draining through the claypans.
• Botanists study the unique plant communities that grow around claypans.