Spanish Conversation · Level 111
59 words
Spanish word
barranco
Pronunciation
IPA/baˈraŋko/
Meaning
- masculine nouncliff
Example
¡Cuidado con el barranco!
Watch out for the cliff!
More examples
Se asomó al barranco y sintió vértigo.
He leaned out over the cliff and felt dizzy.
Core concept
Steep-sided gorge cut by river or rainfall.
Common phrases
asomarse al barranco
lean out over the cliff
caer por el barranco
fall off the cliff
Similar words
precipicio: Extremely steep precipice with a sudden drop-off when viewed from the top.
cañón: Expansive, deep gorge carved by a river over long periods, often wide across.
barranca: Gully-like ravine cut by rain or minor streams, with steep banks and narrow floor.
quebrada: Slim, deep valley in mountainous terrain often channeling runoff or a small creek.
Definition in Spanish
Valle o garganta estrecha y profunda con paredes escarpadas, normalmente formada por la acción de ríos o aguas de lluvia.
Word origin
The modern Spanish barranco reflects an older form barranca used across Romance languages to refer to narrow, erosion-formed gorges.
Usage tips
- In everyday Spanish barranco is used for inland ravines and commonly appears in safety warnings about falls, whereas acantilado is standard for coastal cliffs.
Other meanings
- ravinenoun
Opposites
- llanuraplainnoun