cenote
[ suh-noh-tee ]
/ səˈnoʊ ti /
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noun
a deep natural well or sinkhole, especially in Central America, formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes ground water underneath, and sometimes used by the ancient Mayans for sacrificial offerings.
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Origin of cenote
1835–45; <Mexican Spanish <Yucatec Mayan
Words nearby cenote
cenobite, cenogenesis, cenosite, cenospecies, cenotaph, cenote, Cenozoic, cense, censer, censor, censorious
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for cenote
British Dictionary definitions for cenote
cenote
/ (sɪˈnəʊteɪ) /
noun
(esp in the Yucatán peninsula) a natural well formed by the collapse of an overlying limestone crust: often used as a sacrificial site by the Mayas
Word Origin for cenote
C19: via Mexican Spanish from Maya conot
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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