Past tense of flood; covered with water, especially as a result of a river overflowing or heavy rain; also used metaphorically to mean overwhelmed with a large quantity.
From Old English flod 'a flowing of water, deluge,' from Proto-Germanic flothuz. The metaphorical sense of being overwhelmed with non-liquid things (like emotions or requests) developed in the 16th century.
The word 'flooded' beautifully demonstrates semantic extension—we use water metaphors to describe being overwhelmed by emails, memories, or emotions, suggesting our minds conceptualize abstract overwhelming experiences through the visceral understanding of drowning or inundation. This linguistic pattern appears across cultures, indicating a universal human tendency to understand the abstract through the physical.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.