hoyo

Hoyo is a masculine noun in Spanish that designates a hole, pit, hollow, or depression in a surface. It can refer to natural cavities such as sinkholes, hollows in the ground, or volcanic craters, as well as to man-made openings such as pits or excavations. In geology and geography, hoyo describes a hollow or depression in the terrain; in mining or construction the term can indicate an opening created by drilling, digging, or excavation, though more specific terms such as pozo (shaft) or foso (trench) are used depending on purpose and size.

The word also appears in place names and as a surname. In toponymy, hoyo signals a landscape feature and can be found in various Spanish-speaking regions. Examples include Hoyo de Manzanares in the Community of Madrid and El Hoyo de Pinares in the province of Ávila. Hoyo is likewise used as a surname in Spanish-speaking countries.

Cultural usage: El hoyo is the title of a 2019 Spanish film, known in English as The Platform, a dystopian thriller about a vertical prison where inmates eat from a platform that descends through levels, highlighting social inequality. The term hoyo therefore appears in both everyday language and literary or cinematic contexts, illustrating its range from geographic and physical terms to cultural references.