noun
- plural of barranca; deep ravines or gorges, especially in southwestern United States and Mexico
Usage: geographical term; primarily used in American Southwest
Examples
- The hikers carefully navigated the steep barrancas that cut through the desert landscape.
- Flash floods can make the barrancas extremely dangerous during monsoon season.
- Ancient petroglyphs were discovered on the walls of several barrancas in the region.
- The cattle ranchers built bridges across the barrancas to move their herds safely.
- Erosion over thousands of years carved these dramatic barrancas into the plateau.
- Wildlife often seeks shelter in the cooler barrancas during the hot summer months.