cenote

[ suh-noh-tee ]

noun

1. a deep natural well or sinkhole, especially in Central America, formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes groundwater underneath.

cenote

/ sɪˈnəʊteɪ /

noun

1. (esp in the Yucatán peninsula) a natural well formed by the collapse of an overlying limestone crust: often used as a sacrificial site by the Mayas

Word History and Origins

Origin of cenote¹

First recorded in 1835–45; from Mexican Spanish, from Yucatec Mayan tz'onot

Word History and Origins

Origin of cenote¹

C19: via Mexican Spanish from Maya conot

Example Sentences

They offer temazcal baths, traditional Mayan steam rooms meant to purify and relax the body, and charge visiting foreigners to swim in a nearby cenote.

From Seattle Times

Under the arching cavern roof, Rojo and a group of volunteers push a green kayak through a cenote, filling bulking bags of glass beer bottles, plastic tubes, metal grating, plastic Coca-Cola bottles, rotten wooden planks and even a printer.

From Seattle Times

"This is naturally filtered, purified water, you can drink it," says cave diver Bernadette Carrión as we enter a cenote dubbed "Oppenheimer", in reference to the surrounding devastation.

From BBC

Inside the cenote, there is a constant sound of dripping as water percolates through the rock into translucent pools below.

From BBC

It is a magnificent sight, one which very few people have seen as "Oppenheimer" does not feature in any tourist trips or local cenote visits.

From BBC