arroyo

[ uh-roi-oh ]

noun

, plural ar·roy·os.

1. (chiefly in southwest U.S.) a small steep-sided watercourse or gulch with a nearly flat floor: usually dry except after heavy rains.

Arroyo

¹

/ əˈrɔɪjəʊ /

noun

1. ArroyoGloria Macapagal1947FFilipinoPOLITICS: stateswoman Gloria Macapagal. born 1947, Filipino stateswoman; vice-president of the Philippines (1998–2001); president (2001–10)

arroyo

²

/ əˈrɔɪəʊ /

noun

1. a steep-sided stream bed that is usually dry except after heavy rain

arroyo

/ ə-roi′ō /

1. A small, deep gully or channel of an ephemeral stream. Arroyos usually have relatively flat floors and are flanked by steep sides consisting of unconsolidated sediments. They are usually dry except after heavy rainfall.

Word History and Origins

Origin of arroyo¹

1800–10, Americanism; < Spanish; akin to Latin arrūgia mine shaft

Word History and Origins

Origin of arroyo¹

C19: from Spanish

Example Sentences

Hike back down the Beach Trail from the visitors center through chaparral and sandy bluffs to the shore at Flat Rock, where rain has eroded deep arroyos into the 300-foot sandstone escarpments.

From Los Angeles Times

Also, a graceful arroyo willow that sprouted near Margaret’s one-time vegetable garden now towers over the family’s home, attracting so many bees with its spring blooms that the branches seem to hum.

From Los Angeles Times

Shortly after some removals, arroyo chub, another native fish, started moving upstream, Jacobson said.

From Los Angeles Times

Hikers can see California buckwheat, arroyo willow, black sage, big berry manzanita and hairy ceanothus.

From Los Angeles Times

"The ongoing and historic amount of rainfall is expected to cause life-threatening to locally catastrophic flash, urban and arroyo flooding including landslides, mudslides and debris flows today," the service said.

From Reuters