| 1. | a hole formed in soluble rock by the action of water, serving to conduct surface water to an underground passage. |
| 2. | Also called sink. a depressed area in which waste or drainage collects. |
| sinkhole (sĭngk'hōl') Pronunciation Key
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. |