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malpais

[mahl-pah-ees]
noun
  1. Southwestern U.S. an extensive area of rough, barren lava flows.
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Origin of malpais

1835–45, Americanism; < Spanish mal país bad country
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for malpais

Historical Examples

  • Tell him to send his posse across the malpais toward the rim-rock.

    Oh, You Tex!

    William Macleod Raine

  • A single metate of lava or malpais was excavated at Awatobi.

  • Notify Buck Weaver, so he can head them off if they try to cross the Malpais.

    Mavericks

    William MacLeod Raine

  • Healy is at the head of all this rustling that has been troubling the Malpais country.

    Mavericks

    William MacLeod Raine

  • But the boys they knew of an old black steer, A sort of an old outlaw That ran down in the malpais At the foot of a rocky draw.