pothole

[ pot-hohl ]

noun

1. a deep hole; pit.
2. a hole formed in pavement, as by excessive use or by extremes of weather.
3. a more or less cylindrical hole formed in rock by the grinding action of the detrital material in eddying water.
4. a cave opening vertically from the ground surface.

pothole

/ ˈpɒtˌhəʊl /

noun

1. geography
   1. a deep hole in limestone areas resulting from action by running water See also sinkhole
   2. a circular hole in the bed of a river produced by abrasion
2. a deep hole, esp one produced in a road surface by wear or weathering

Word History and Origins

Origin of pothole¹

First recorded in 1820–30; pot ¹ + hole

Example Sentences

Last year he posted a picture on social media of himself standing hip deep in a pothole on the road.

From BBC

The BBC's Shared Data Unit surveyed 187 upper-tier authorities in the UK, which provide services from adult social care to bin collections and pothole repairs.

From BBC

When the city launched its reinvigorated pothole refilling efforts in May, it expanded staffing to six crews deployed six days a week — doubling the department’s standard operations, De Prez said.

From Los Angeles Times

The city’s goal is to slash the pothole count to below 10,000 before the next rainy season.

From Los Angeles Times

On average, StreetsLA has 10 to 12 pothole repair crews out at any given time every day of the week, said Oliver Hall, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crater