noun
rito
REE-toh
noun
1
The young, tender leaves of the coconut palm, traditionally woven into baskets, mats, and other items in parts of the Pacific.
"The weaver soaked the rito overnight to make it pliable before starting the mat."
"Fine rito hats were once a prized export from several Pacific islands."
2
A small stream, especially one named this way in parts of the western United States with Spanish-influenced place names.
"The trail followed a shallow rito down into the canyon."
How to Use Rito
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither young coconut-palm leaves used for weaving, or a small stream — two unrelated senses that happen to share a spelling.
Word Forms
ritos plural
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The weaver soaked the _____ overnight to make it pliable before starting the mat.
Etymology
From Spanish río ("river") plus the diminutive suffix -ito, literally "little river"; the weaving sense comes from a separate Pacific-region usage.