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paramo

American  
[par-uh-moh, pahr-uh-] / ˈpær əˌmoʊ, ˈpɑr ə- /

noun

paramos plural
  1. a high, cold plateau of South America.


paramo British  
/ ˈpærəˌməʊ /

noun

  1. a high plateau in the Andes between the tree line and the permanent snow line

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of paramo

First recorded in 1750–60; from South American Spanish; Spanish páramo “barren plain”; presumably of pre-Latin origin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

And now we rapidly descended by a steep, narrow path, and over paramo and bog, to a little tambo, where we had the luxury of sleeping on a bed of straw.

From The Andes and the Amazon Across the Continent of South America by Orton, James

Between Tocuyo, Araure, and Barquisimeto, rises the group of the Altar Mountains, connected on the south-east with the paramo of Las Rosas.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 1 by Ross, Thomasina

After the account I had heard from the doctor, I begged of Kanimapo that he would not conduct us through a paramo.

From The Young Llanero A Story of War and Wild Life in Venezuela by Kingston, William Henry Giles

But to remain in a paramo during the night, even though thus protected, is often a painful ordeal.

From The Young Llanero A Story of War and Wild Life in Venezuela by Kingston, William Henry Giles

Gladly we left this cheerless tambo, though a cold, heavy mist was falling as we rode northward, over the seemingly endless paramo of Sanancajas.

From The Andes and the Amazon Across the Continent of South America by Orton, James

On the rocks left behind when the glacier retreats, the scientists think that a new ecosystem resembling the paramos may eventually begin to develop.

From Seattle Times Sep. 23, 2019

While most tundras have sparse vegetation, the paramos is famous for striking plants called frailejones that can be taller than humans and resemble a cross between a cactus and a palm tree.

From Seattle Times Sep. 23, 2019

The legend of El Dorado began in the páramos, where leaders or shamans would cover themselves in gold dust and dive into paramos lakes, throwing golden offerings for the gods.

From The Guardian Apr. 9, 2019

Spanish conquistadors searched for these treasures but called the paramos the Empire of Darkness, and many perished in the cold and boggy lands.

From The Guardian Apr. 9, 2019

Farther up, on the cold, bleak paramos, only stunted and hardy trees are to be found.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

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