canyon

¹

Or ca·ñon

[kan-yuhn]

noun

1. a deep valley with steep sides, often with a stream flowing through it.

   Synonyms: coulee, arroyo, gap, pass, ravine, gully, gorge

Canyon

²

[kan-yuhn]

noun

1. a town in N Texas.

canyon

/ ˈkænjən /

noun

1. a gorge or ravine, esp in North America, usually formed by the down-cutting of a river in a dry area where there is insufficient rainfall to erode the sides of the valley

canyon

1. A long, deep, narrow valley with steep cliff walls, cut into the Earth by running water and often having a stream at the bottom.

Word History and Origins

Origin of canyon¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of canyon¹

C19: from Spanish cañón, from caña tube, from Latin canna cane

Example Sentences

Outer coast transients, numbering about 210 animals, were most often found within 20 kilometers of the continental shelf break, particularly near submarine canyons.

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A vast canyon of buried garbage has been smoldering inside a landfill in the Santa Clarita Valley, inducing geysers of liquid waste onto the surface and noxious fumes into the air.

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Malibu residents were warned Sunday to continue looking out for mudslides and debris flow, particularly in the canyons.

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The storm flooded some streets and highways, sent mud and rocks sliding onto some canyon roads and made for treacherous driving conditions.

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At that rate, forecasters expect generally minor and shallow debris flows, as well as rockslides and mudslides in canyons.

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Related Words

• gorge 
• gully 
• ravine 
• valley