El Dorado
[ el duh-rah-doh, -rey- or, Spanish, el daw-rah-th aw for 1, 2; el duh-rey-doh for 3, 4 ]
/ ˌɛl dəˈrɑ doʊ, -ˈreɪ- or, Spanish, ɛl dɔˈrɑ ðɔ for 1, 2; ˌɛl dəˈreɪ doʊ for 3, 4 /
noun
a legendary treasure city of South America, sought by the early Spanish explorers.
any place offering great wealth.
a city in S Arkansas.
a town in S Kansas.
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for el dorado
El Dorado
/ (ɛl dɒˈrɑːdəʊ, Spanish ɛl doˈraðo) /
noun
a fabled city in South America, rich in treasure and sought by Spanish explorers in the 16th century
Also: eldorado any place of great riches or fabulous opportunity
Word Origin for El Dorado
C16: from Spanish, literally: the gilded (place)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for el dorado
El Dorado
[ (el duh-rah-doh) ]
A place of fabulous wealth, or an opportunity to obtain it. During the gold rush many adventurers believed that California would be their El Dorado. The name comes from the name of a legendary South American city of stupendous riches sought by Spanish conquistadores.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.