vertiente
slope, watershed
noun behr-TYEN-teh Rare
Origin: From Latin vertere (to turn, to flow), via the present participle.
Also means
aspect, dimension
Usage Note
Vertiente literally means the side of a mountain from which water drains — a slope or watershed. Figuratively it means a facet, strand, or dimension of something (la vertiente cultural del problema, the cultural dimension of the problem). In physical geography, vertiente del Pacífico and vertiente del Atlántico are standard phrases for Pacific-slope and Atlantic-slope drainage systems.
Examples
"El río nace en la vertiente oriental de los Andes."
Natural Translation
The river originates on the eastern slope of the Andes.
Related Words
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