dolina
feminine
The Italian word for sinkhole is dolina. Wiktionary also lists pulo.
Meaning: geology: hole formed in soluble rock (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dolina | feminine | |
| pulo | /ˈpu.lo/ | masculine |
In a geological context, a sinkhole refers to a hole formed in soluble rock. The term dolina is the standard technical term used in geology to describe a sinkhole or a karst depression.
Which one should you use?
dolina is the standard technical geological term. pulo is an alternative masculine form for a sinkhole.
How does it change in a sentence?
dolina is a feminine noun. Its plural form is doline. pulo is a masculine noun. Its plural form is puli.
Did you know?
- The masculine form pulo is extremely rare in modern geological texts and may lead to confusion, as it is phonetically identical to a vulgar Italian profanity.
- The word dolina is not originally Italian, but was borrowed from the Slovene word dolina, meaning 'valley'.
- In Italian, the word carso is used both as a proper noun for the plateau and as a common noun to describe any landscape characterized by doline.
Examples in context
- Ci sono molte voragini nella regione quando il terreno cede.There are many sinkholes in the region when the ground collapses.
- La dolina è molto profonda.The sinkhole is very deep.
- Si è aperta una dolina nel campo.A sinkhole opened up in the field.
- Esploriamo quella grande dolina.Let's explore that large sinkhole.
Example conversation
Two hikers are looking at a geological feature in a canyon.
- AlessandroGuarda quella dolina, Giulia!Look at that sinkhole, Giulia!
- GiuliaÈ davvero impressionante.It is truly impressive.
- AlessandroPossiamo scendere con cautela?Can we go down carefully?
- GiuliaMeglio di no, Alessandro.Better not, Alessandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sinkhole” translations and entries pulo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
