noun
pothole
noun
1
A hole or dip worn into a road surface, usually from weather or heavy traffic.
"The car's tire blew out after hitting a deep pothole."
"The city council promised to fix the potholes on Main Street."
2
A deep, roughly vertical natural cave formed in rock, especially limestone.
"The cavers explored a narrow pothole deep beneath the hillside."
How to Use Pothole
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hole worn into a road (or, in caving, a deep natural shaft in rock).
Common pairings
hit a pothole
fill in potholes
pothole repair
Word Forms
potholes plural, potholes plural
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The car's tire blew out after hitting a deep _____.
Etymology
From a dialect word pot, meaning a pit or hollow, plus hole.