derrumbe

collapse, landslide

noun deh-RROOM-beh Rare

Usage Note

Derrumbe comes from the verb derrumbar (to collapse, to demolish) and can refer to a physical collapse of a building or hillside, or to a figurative collapse such as an economic or political one. In Latin America it is the standard word for a landslide or rockfall; in Spain derrumbamiento is often preferred in formal writing. The verb derrumbarse (reflexive) means 'to fall apart' emotionally.

Examples

"El derrumbe bloqueó la carretera principal."

Natural Translation

The landslide blocked the main road.

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