gruta

grotto; cave

noun GROO-tah Rare

Origin: From Italian grotta, from Latin crypta 'vault', from Greek krupte.

Usage Note

Gruta refers to a natural or artificial cave, often with connotations of beauty or religious significance — shrines built into hillsides are commonly called grutas in Latin America. It is slightly more poetic than cueva (a plain cave) and less technical than caverna (a large cavern).

Examples

"Exploramos una gruta llena de estalactitas."

Natural Translation

We explored a grotto full of stalactites.

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