paramo

American  

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

noun

plural

paramos

1. a high, cold plateau of South America.

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paramo British  

/ ˈpærəˌməʊ /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of paramo

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

Example Sentences

Still ascending, we lose sight of the valley of the Chimbo, and find ourselves in a wilderness of crags and treeless mountains clothed with the long, dreary-looking paramo grass called paja.

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

Between Cotopaxi and Sincholagua are numerous conical hills covering the paramo, reminding one of the mud volcanoes of Jorullo.

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

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

It was a welcome refuge to us, for we had well nigh perished with cold on the dreary paramo.

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