valley

American  

[val-ee] / ˈvæl i /

noun

plural

valleys

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

• intervalley noun
• valleylike adjective

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

Example Sentences

These little creatures must belong to a breed that did not stray into the valley.

From Literature

But then, after a little bit of rain, the clouds cleared and brilliant green valleys spread before them, dotted by tiny houses.

From Literature

“It’s two lots at the farthest end of the valley, Ida B,” he said.

From Literature

In the cloud-free image, the upper portion is dominated by the peaks and valleys of the Alps, where many of the competition venues are located.

From Science Daily

Valtellina, a 75-mile-long valley that runs along the Swiss border, will be the site of Alpine skiing, snowboarding, freestyle skiing and the debut sport of ski mountaineering.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• basin
• canyon
• gorge
• lowland
• plain