glen
noun
a small, narrow, secluded valley.
glen
1 American
[glen]
/ glɛn /
noun
glens
plural
Glen
2
American
[glen]
/ glɛn /
noun
glen
British
/ ɡlɛn /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of glen
1480–90; < Irish, Scots Gaelic gleann; cognate with Welsh glynn
Explanation
A glen is a narrow valley deep in the mountains. Glens often form streams. The top of a mountain is the peak, and the lower parts are valleys. A glen is a valley that's narrow and secluded—it’s deep in the mountains. A glen could form a stream, or it could be lush and green. If you are on top of a mountain looking down, you may see several glens.
Vocabulary lists containing glen
St. Patrick's Day Vocabulary: Words With Irish and Gaelic Roots
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"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
First-Name Basis: Words That Are Also Names
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Irvin played running back at Glen Hills High School in Augusta, Ga. He told Sports Collectors Daily in 2023 that he patterned his running style after O.J.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
Glen Campbell’s music career was as California as they come—he was a touring member of the Beach Boys, briefly—but his signature song, the pop-country crossover “Wichita Lineman,” is set in the Great Plains.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
He solidified his name in television with “Cheers,” co-creating the lively Boston travern “where everybody knows your name” with Glen and Les Charles.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
In 1857, The Times praised it as "masterly in conception and effect" and a worthy partner to Monarch of the Glen.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
The first thing the boy said when he entered Shady Glen Retirement Home was “This place smells like death!”
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
