A cenote is a natural pit or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater. The term cenote originated on the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, where cenotes were commonly used for water supplies by the ancient Maya, and occasionally for sacrificial offerings. The term cenote derives from a word used by the lowland Yucatec Maya—tsʼonoʼot—to refer to any location with accessible groundwater. Cenotes are common geological forms in low-altitude regions, particularly on islands, coastlines, and platforms with young post-Paleozoic limestone with little soil development.

Cenotes are surface connections to subterranean water bodies. While the best-known cenotes are large open-water pools measuring tens of meters in diameter, such as those at Chichen Itza in Mexico, the greatest number of cenotes are smaller sheltered sites and do not necessarily have any surface exposed water. Cenotes may be fully collapsed, creating an open water pool, or partially collapsed with some portion of a rock overhanging above the water. The stereotypical cenotes often resemble small circular ponds, measuring some tens of meters in diameter with sheer rock walls. Most cenotes are located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, where there are over 7,000 cenotes, over 2,200 of which have been registered.

Cenotes come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. The most common types of cenotes are Cave, Semi-Open and Open Cenotes. Cave cenotes are the youngest, and the open cenote is the oldest as its cave ceiling has fallen into itself. Semi-open cenotes can be considered an entrance to the "underworld" or "Xibalba" (where the spirits reside after death) . The flora and fauna of a cenote are unique, with species of fish such as guppy and catfish, as well as some varieties of marine crustaceans. Turtles, iguanas, frogs, and butterflies live in the surroundings, as well as swallows and Toh Birds, better known as the bird of the cenotes.

In conclusion, a cenote is a natural pit or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater. Cenotes are common geological forms in low-altitude regions, particularly on islands, coastlines, and platforms with young post-Paleozoic limestone with little soil development. They are surface connections to subterranean water bodies and come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. Cenotes are mostly located in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, where they were commonly used for water supplies by the ancient Maya and occasionally for sacrificial offerings.