noun
arroyo
uh-ROY-oh
noun
1
A dry streambed or gully that only fills with water after heavy rain.
"Flash floods can turn a quiet arroyo into a raging torrent within minutes."
How to Use Arroyo
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA desert gully that's usually dry but can flood suddenly.
When to use it
Mostly used in American English, especially in the Southwest.
Word Forms
arroyos plural, Arroyos plural
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Flash floods can turn a quiet _____ into a raging torrent within minutes.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from Spanish arroyo, meaning "stream" or "brook."