An Americanism first recorded in 1835–45; from Colonial Spanish (Mexico, southwestern U.S.), Spanish cañón “a long tube, a hollow,” equivalent to cañ(a) “tube” (from Latin canna cane ) + -on augmentative suffix
A canyon is a deep, narrow valley surrounded by tall cliffs. Because a canyon is often very deep, be very cautious when standing on the rocky cliffs above. The noun canyon refers to a deep ravine that has been cut into the earth's surface over a long period of time by erosion from a running river. Also known as a gorge, it usually has very steep walls with rocky cliffs. One of the most famous examples is the Grand Canyon, which was cut by the Colorado River. It's an astounding 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep.
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Canyon is presenting a helmet fitted with a large visor capable of displaying real-time alerts or receiving an audio signal, depending on the user's preference.
From Barron's • Jun. 28, 2026
In warmer weather, outdoor life shifts to hiking and fly-fishing in Spearfish Canyon Nature Area, a 20-mile gorge in Lead’s backyard lined with 1,000-foot limestone cliffs and waterfalls.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026
In one interview, she explained that she had struggled to ever find a property that truly felt like a place she could live forever—that is, until she came across the Sullivan Canyon abode.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
The choir teacher at Dixie Canyon in the ’90s?
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
Two ravens skimmed deliberately along the distant treetops, floating into the open over the ninth lake and drifting down through the subsequent meadow- land, heading into Deerhair Canyon, where the Milagro posse had retreated.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
