agujero

Agujero is the Spanish noun for an opening, cavity, or perforation in a solid object, and also for a space where material is missing. It can refer to natural voids, such as a hole in a surface, a cavity inside a rock, or a gap in a barrier, as well as to artificial openings created by tools or construction. The term is derived from agujerear, the verb meaning to make a hole, with the -ero suffix forming the noun agujero; its use is common in everyday language as well as scientific and technical contexts.

In everyday use, agujero describes any physical hole: a hole in clothing, a hole in a wall, a drain, or a borehole drilled for exploration or construction. In geology and geomorphology, terms like karst cavities or sinkholes are colloquially called agujeros. In astronomy, the compound phrases agujero negro (black hole) and agujero de gusano (wormhole) refer to theoretical objects or structures in spacetime.

In biology and anatomy, agujero can denote natural openings, such as agujero nasal (nostril) or other foramina in bones, though the precise anatomical terms are often foramen or ostium. In technical fields, agujero is used to describe security or design gaps, colloquially called agujeros de seguridad or agujeros de diseño.

Metaphorically, agujero can denote a deficit or flaw in an argument, plan, or account, and is common in investigative or critical discourse.