groundsheet

4.6

A waterproof sheet you spread under a tent to keep moisture out

noun
/ˈɡraʊndˌʃiːt/

: tela impermeable

Make sure to use a groundsheet to keep your sleeping bag dry during your hike.
an optional groundsheet

Examples

To the blanket and waxed-cloth groundsheet already in his knapsack, he added the cup, the little pot, and the sheath knife.

Fiction book (1997)
Those who are picnicking or camping should ensure that they are always sitting or lying on a substantial groundsheet or similar. Travellers should be advised to check their bodies and clothes for ticks and remove them with tweezers (Box 1).

Academic text (2011)
To protect against moisture, spread a groundsheet under your tent before setting up camp.
For better insulation, place a groundsheet between the tent floor and the wet ground.

Synonyms

ground cloth

vsgroundsheet

1 4.5

A cloth you put under a tent to stop wetness from the ground

has the same meaning but written as a single word

Surface Forms

groundsheet singular

groundsheets plural

Morphology

groundsheet = ground + sheet (transparent) = ground + sheet

The meaning is directly derived from 'ground' + 'sheet'—a sheet placed on the ground to protect against moisture.

Etymology

The word groundsheet is a simple combination of ground ('the earth') and sheet ('a flat piece of cloth' like a bed sheet). So it means a cloth you put on the ground, often under a tent, to stop water or dampness and keep your sleeping area dry.