El Dorado
noun
Did you know?
In the early 1500s, Spanish conquistadores heard tales of an Amazonian king who regularly coated his body with gold dust, then plunged into a nearby lake to wash it off while being showered with gold and jewels thrown by his subjects. The Spaniards called the city ruled by this flamboyant monarch El Dorado, Spanish for "gilded one," and the story of the gold-covered king eventually grew into a legend of a whole country paved with gold. These days, El Dorado can also used generically for any place of vast riches, abundance, or opportunity. It is also the name of actual cities in Arkansas and Kansas.
Examples of El Dorado in a Sentence
Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026
Fifth District incumbent Brooke Laine, who represents South Lake Tahoe, Pollock Pines and other areas of southeast El Dorado, was re-elected running unopposed.
—Haley Parsley
june 9, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
The expectant couple, along with several children and loved ones, walked with anticipation into the grass at the edge of the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa, California – where wild grasses turn golden in the fall, making a scenic backdrop – to reveal their baby’s gender.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
The expectant couple, along with several children and loved ones, walked with anticipation into the grass at the edge of the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa, California – where wild grasses turn golden in the fall, making a scenic backdrop – to reveal their baby’s gender.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for El Dorado
Cite this Entry
“El Dorado.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/El%20Dorado. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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