noun.
A water-filled limestone sinkhole of the Yucatán.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
noun.
A natural underground reservoir of water, such as is found in the limestone of Yucatan, used by the natives for drawing water: the presence of such reservoirs determines the location of the larger villages.
noun.
A deep naturalwell or sinkhole, especially in Central America, formed by the collapse of surface limestone that exposes ground water underneath, and sometimes used by the ancient Mayans for sacrificial offerings.
Word Usage
"The term cenote is a Spanish rendering of the Mayan word d'zonot, "a hole in the ground"."