potholelike

Potholelike is an adjective used to describe a surface feature, texture, or form that resembles a pothole—a circular or irregular depression on a surface, typically bowl-shaped with a smoother floor and steeper sides compared with the surrounding material. The term is generic and descriptive, not a technical diagnosis of origin.

It is applied across disciplines such as geology, geomorphology, archaeology, and materials science to convey visual similarity to potholes in roads. In natural settings, pothole-like depressions occur on rock faces, riverbeds, or soil as a result of processes like erosion, dissolution, or freezing and thawing; sizes range from centimeters to meters. In engineered materials, pothole-like pits describe pits or cavities on concrete, metal, or polymers that echo the shape of a pothole and may indicate wear, corrosion, or manufacturing texture.

Usage notes: because pothole-like does not specify formation, researchers often accompany it with context or measurements (dimensions, location, surrounding geology) or with a proposed mechanism. The term is primarily descriptive and qualitative rather than a definitive classification.

Origin of the term: derived from pothole, which denotes a hole formed through surface failure or weathering; the suffix -like indicates resemblance.