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• canyon
  canyon

  noun

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

  noun

  a town in N Texas.

canyon

¹ American  

[kan-yuhn] / ˈkæn jən /

Or cañon

noun

• canyons
  plural

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

   Synonyms:

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

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Canyon ² American  

[kan-yuhn] / ˈkæn jən /

noun

1. a town in N Texas.

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canyon British  

/ 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

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canyon Scientific  

/ kăn′yən /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• canyons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of canyon

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

canyon Canyon canyons

The home spans 1,836 square feet and is described in its listing as an “enchanting” dwelling that perfectly blends “privacy, character, and serene canyon living.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

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

Some are standing on the rim, seeing the canyon for the first time and topping off a water bottle before continuing their trip.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 2, 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

Several kids were playing basketball on a cement court that was nestled next to a canyon wall.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Last month marked a grim milestone: the combined volume of both reservoirs hit their lowest level since 1957, when Glen Canyon Dam was still under construction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

Jacobson said the state can — and should — shut Diablo Canyon down on time and still meet its climate goals through a combination of wind, geothermal, rooftop solar and imported supplies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

In October 1916, in Tujunga Canyon near Sunland, a farmer named Cornelius Johnson set out a trap for a bear that had been raiding his grapevines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

They will miss throwing to their favorite target as leading receiver and Division 1 player of the year Ava Irwin has transferred to Sierra Canyon for its program launch.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

“You’d need a wallet as big as the Grand Canyon to hold El Patron’s paper money,” Celia had said, “and you’d have to drain the Gulf of California for the small change.”

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer

Canine teams also have been used in the search through steep canyons and dense vegetation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Police said the helicopter was operated by Airborne Aviation, a company whose website advertises "a doors-off thrill seekers adventure tour" of the picturesque island's waterfalls, canyons, and beaches.

From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2026

On land, dramatic canyons such as the Grand Canyon are carved over time by flowing rivers.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 23, 2026

We can be good stewards of a spectacular country, with its plains and canyons and mountains and deserts, as well as its vibrant cities.

From Slate ● Feb. 12, 2026

Up in the cloud canyons the thunder boomed again.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

Related Words

• gorge
• gully
• ravine
• valley