wadi

American  

[wah-dee] / ˈwɑ di /

Also wady

noun

plural

wadis

1. the channel of a watercourse that is dry except during periods of rainfall.

2. such a stream or watercourse itself.

3. a valley.

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wadi British  

/ ˈwɒdɪ /

noun

1. a watercourse in N Africa and Arabia, dry except in the rainy season

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wadi Scientific  

/ wä′dē /

1. A gully or streambed in northern Africa and southwest Asia that remains dry except during the rainy season.

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Etymology

Origin of wadi

First recorded in 1830–40, wadi is from the Arabic word wādī

Explanation

A wadi is a low, dry valley. The term wadi is most commonly used in Arabic-speaking parts of the world. This word wadi is mainly used to describe valleys and dry creeks and riverbeds in the Middle East and North Africa. A wadi might be a stream during the rainy season and a dry ravine during the rest of the year. Wadi comes from the Arabic wādī‎, "river" or "watercourse," and it appears in many place names — for example, Guadalajara comes from the Arabic wādī al-hidjārah, "river of stones."

Example Sentences

Shorouq Al-Ashqar and colleagues describe the fossil, which was found in the Wadi Moghra region of northern Egypt and dates to around 17-18 million years ago.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

“This is a person who has always served our community,” Wadi said, noting that people reach out every day to learn how they can help.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025

Standing between rows of plastic sheeting in the Deir al-Balah camp, Jamalat Wadi says that her family has now sacrificed enough and that they are determined to build a new home.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2025

Maj-Gen Amr Hanafi said the survivors were found in the Wadi el-Gemal area, which is south of Marsa Alam, and that they were receiving the necessary medical care.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2024

Now I was drinking sugary tea with Zalabia Bedouins and squatting on a sand drift in Wadi Rum, the Valley of the Moon, less than twenty miles from the Saudi Arabian border.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover