cenote

American  

[suh-noh-tee] / səˈnoʊ ti /

noun

1. a deep natural well or sinkhole, especially in Central America, formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes groundwater underneath.

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cenote British  

/ sɪˈnəʊteɪ /

noun

1. (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

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Etymology

Origin of cenote

First recorded in 1835–45; from Mexican Spanish, from Yucatec Mayan tz'onot

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Explanation

A cenote is a sinkhole created when a limestone cave partially collapses, exposing a pool of crystal-clear water at the bottom. Cenotes are particularly common in the Yucatán Peninsula in Central America. Cenote comes from the Maya word dz’onot, meaning "cavern with water." These natural reservoirs were important to the Mayans — they were believed to be gateways to the underworld; they were used for sacrificial offerings; and they were a key source of water. These days they're perfect for swimming in a cave and relaxing in the sun at the same time!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cenote

They offer temazcal baths, traditional Mayan steam rooms meant to purify and relax the body, and charge visiting foreigners to swim in a nearby cenote.

From Seattle Times ● May 30, 2024

We emerged from the tunnels into a little-known archaeological gem, a cenote called Manitas with 31 pre-Hispanic handprints on the cave walls.

From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2023

One of the jade heads found at Chichén Itzá, for instance, was perhaps itself looted from Piedras Negras, then brought to the cenote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2023

We passed the so-called Bat Volcano, a dried-out cenote, or limestone sinkhole, that’s home to more than three million bats of eight species that swirl out into the air every evening at twilight.

From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2022

Probably the swallows were nesting in the cenote although the nests were inaccessible to view.

From Summer Birds From the Yucatan Peninsula by Erwin E. Klaas

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