Word
arroyo
Phoneticsar·royo
US/ɝˈɔɪoʊ/
UK/æɹˈɔɪəʊ/
Definition
n. a narrow stream or dry riverbed that only flows after it rains. You often see these in dry, rocky areas where water runs quickly after a storm.
n. a narrow stream or dry riverbed that flows only after heavy rainfall. Common in arid and semi-arid regions, it is often characterized by steep banks and a temporary flow of water.
Examples
“The arroyo ran with water after the heavy summer storm.”
“Hikers often follow the arroyo to find a shortcut through the desert, though the path can be dangerous during flash floods.”
“The landscape was defined by a series of deep arroyos, carved by centuries of seasonal rainfall that carved the soft sediment into steep, winding channels.”
Examples
simple
“The arroyo ran with water after the heavy summer storm.”
contextual
“Hikers often follow the arroyo to find a shortcut through the desert, though the path can be dangerous during flash floods.”
complex
“The landscape was defined by a series of deep arroyos, carved by centuries of seasonal rainfall that carved the soft sediment into steep, winding channels.”
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish arroyo.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/arroyo