valley

American  

[val-ee] / ˈvæl i /

noun

• valleys
  plural

1. 

   an elongated depression between uplands, hills, or mountains, especially one following the course of a stream.

2. an extensive, more or less flat, and relatively low region drained by a great river system.

3. any depression or hollow resembling a valley.

4. a low point or interval in any process, representation, or situation.

5. any place, period, or situation that is filled with fear, gloom, foreboding, or the like.

   the valley of despair.

6. Architecture. a depression or angle formed by the meeting of two inclined sides of a roof.

7. the lower phase of a horizontal wave motion.

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valley British  

/ ˈvælɪ /

noun

1. a long depression in the land surface, usually containing a river, formed by erosion or by movements in the earth's crust

2. the broad area drained by a single river system

   the Thames valley

3. any elongated depression resembling a valley

4. the junction of a roof slope with another or with a wall

5. (modifier) relating to or proceeding by way of a valley

   a valley railway

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valley Scientific  

/ văl′ē /

1. A long, narrow region of low land between ranges of mountains, hills, or other high areas, often having a river or stream running along the bottom. Valleys are most commonly formed through the erosion of land by rivers or glaciers. They also form where large regions of land are lowered because of geological faults.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intervalley
  noun
• valleylike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• valleys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of valley

1250–1300; Middle English valeie, valey < Old French valee, equivalent to val vale ( def. ) + -ee < Latin -āta, feminine of -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

If you live in a valley, you probably get more fog than they do up in the hills around you. Fog tends to be more common down in the valley, the low area that often forms near a river. If you're into fishing, swimming, and tubing, then a valley is the place for you, because valleys usually have rivers or other streams running through them. The Napa Valley is an area in northern California that is famous for its good wine and food, though technically it's not all a valley; parts of it are quite hilly. Another famous valley, the San Fernando, lies at the foot of the hills of Los Angeles. You might have heard of the infamous "Valley Girl." In movies, Valley girls are usually blonde and say "like" and "totally" a lot. "Like, oh, my God! That low, flat stretch of terrain, is like, totally a valley!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

valley valleys

A video of the flood shows the moment raging waters sweep down a valley and wash away an entire building complex.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

"Everyone in this valley is conscious of the need for manufacturing jobs," he said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

They can be technically proficient, maybe even a little funny, but there is always an underlying cadence of the uncanny valley that I still doubt Suno v6 pro et al. or whatever has totally overcome.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

Local hospitals are bracing for funding cuts, though a carve-out may keep many valley residents from losing coverage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

The valley was littered with shredded leaves and wildflowers.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

Much of Nepal's hydropower infrastructure lies along steep river valleys fed by glaciers -- terrain exposed to floods, landslides and cascading geological hazards.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

Entire mountain faces have been excavated and roads, industrial infrastructure and settlements have transformed surrounding valleys.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

RAF Valley is also close to the Machynlleth Loop - a series of valleys between Dolgellau in Gwynedd and Machynlleth in Powys.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

Soon, Yunnan valleys were filled with greenhouses for blueberries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

There are no hills or mountains or valleys.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

Related Words

• basin
• canyon
• gorge
• lowland
• plain