arroyo

American  

[uh-roi-oh] / əˈrɔɪ oʊ /

noun

plural

arroyos

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

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arroyo ¹ British  

/ əˈrɔɪəʊ /

noun

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

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Arroyo ² British  

/ əˈrɔɪjəʊ /

noun

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

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arroyo Scientific  

/ 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.

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Etymology

Origin of arroyo

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

Explanation

Ever see a dried out stream or brook that sometimes, after a good rain, is racing with water? That's an arroyo, or a creek that dries out and fills with water depending on the time of year and weather. The Arroyo Seco in Southern California is an example of a well-known arroyo. Its name, which translates from Spanish to mean "dry stream" is an apt way to describe what an arroyo is — dry at times, and flowing at others. An arroyo can be natural or man-made. The Los Angeles River, for example, is an arroyo that runs along a concrete channel and helps distribute fresh water to the city.

Example Sentences

“Flash, urban, and arroyo flooding is possible with the potential for significant impacts.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 17, 2023

"The water was so strong it pushed him into the arroyo," said Zamora, using the term for an usually dry riverbed that runs during heavy rain.

From Reuters • Aug. 8, 2022

Boris, 29, ran across the muddy arroyo of the Rio Grande on Dec. 3 from Ciudad Juárez to El Paso.

From Washington Post • Dec. 16, 2021

Even a pot of California poppies and arroyo lupine can provide insect food and seed for birds, Trinidad said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2021

In dried up ponds and in the dry arroyo sands, even as the rain was still falling, they came popping up through the ground, with wet sand still on their backs.

From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko