sinkhole

[ singk-hohl ]
/ ˈsɪŋkˌhoʊl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR sinkhole ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a hole formed in soluble rock by the action of water, serving to conduct surface water to an underground passage.
Also called sink. a depressed area in which waste or drainage collects.

Origin of sinkhole

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at sink, hole

Words nearby sinkhole

sink or swim, sink through the floor, sinkage, sinker, sinkerball, sinkhole, sinkiang-uighur autonomous region, sinking, sinking feeling, a, sinking fund, sinking spell

Words related to sinkhole

impression, sag, dimple, dent, excavation, dip, void, vacuity, bowl, crater, hollow, scoop, pocket, concavity, sink, indentation, vacuum, hole, valley, pit

Example sentences from the Web for sinkhole

British Dictionary definitions for sinkhole

sinkhole
/ (ˈsɪŋkˌhəʊl) /

noun

Also called (esp Brit): swallow hole a depression in the ground surface, esp in limestone, where a surface stream disappears underground
a place into which foul matter runs

Scientific definitions for sinkhole

sinkhole
[ sĭngk′hōl′ ]

A natural depression in a land surface formed by the dissolution and collapse of a cavern roof. Sinkholes are roughly funnel-shaped and on the order of tens of meters in size. They generally occur in limestone regions and are connected to subteranean passages. Also called sink See more at karst topography.