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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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
New York's mayor Zohran Mamdani very quickly announced that a ticker tape parade down the canyon of heroes would be held on Thursday for the Knicks.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
One facility, San Antonio de los Buenos, can’t handle the volume, so mostly untreated sewage pours through a canyon creek and into the Pacific 5 miles south of the border, U.S. officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
The $38 gap in Asia is a canyon.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
Baron was known for his skillful driving on the racetrack and his love of cruising steep canyon roads.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Alex explains the wisdom stuff to him, then squats to check out the canyon.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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.
