paydirt
paydirt Lexical Profile
paydirt Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A useful, profitable, or rewarding discovery, result, or source of wealth (often used in the phrase 'hit paydirt' or 'strike paydirt').
"After months of sifting through historical archives, the researchers finally hit paydirt when they uncovered the original treaty."
Earth, gravel, or ore that contains a sufficient concentration of gold or other valuable minerals to be profitable to mine.
"The prospectors dug through several feet of barren gravel before reaching a rich layer of paydirt along the riverbed."
North American The opponent's end zone in American or Canadian football.
"The running back broke through two tackles and sprinted forty yards into paydirt for the game-winning touchdown."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in mid-19th-century American English during the California Gold Rush, combining 'pay' and 'dirt' to describe gold-bearing earth rich enough to make mining profitable.