quebrada

Quebrada is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese to designate a geographic feature: a ravine, gorge, or gully carved by water erosion. The word derives from the verb quebrar, to break, signifying a break or fracture in terrain. In many regions, a quebrada is a narrow, steep-sided valley that may be dry for extended periods, with a stream that flows only after rains, producing flash floods.

The landscape called a quebrada often forms in mountainous or semi-arid areas where episodic rainfall concentrates erosion. It may host unique microhabitats and vegetation along its sheltered walls and in wetter sections. In toponymy, quebradas give their name to valleys and places; notable examples include Quebrada de Humahuaca in Argentina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and La Quebrada in Acapulco, famous for cliff diving.

In everyday language, the term may be used interchangeably with ravine, gorge, or canyon, though in some regions it implies a narrower and more irregular valley than a canyon. The concept exists in other languages and cultures as well, with similar terms in Spanish-speaking countries and in Lusophone contexts.