coulee

[ koo-lee ]

noun

1. Chiefly Western U.S. and Western Canada. a deep ravine or gulch, usually dry, that has been formed by running water.
2. a small valley.
3. a low-lying area.
4. a small intermittent stream.
5. Geology. a stream of lava.

coulee

/ -lɪ; ˈkuːleɪ /

noun

1. 1. a flow of molten lava
   2. such lava when solidified
2. a dry stream valley, especially a long steep-sided gorge or ravine that once carried melt water from a glacier
3. a small intermittent stream in such a ravine

Word History and Origins

Origin of coulee¹

1800–10, Americanism; < Canadian French, French: a flowing, noun use of feminine of coulé, past participle of couler to flow < Latin cōlāre to filter, strain, derivative of cōlum strainer, sieve; colander, portcullis

Word History and Origins

Origin of coulee¹

C19: from Canadian French coulée a flow, from French, from couler to flow, from Latin cōlāre to sift, purify; see colander

Example Sentences

I wormed and twisted around until I got up to that coulee, and sure enough, it was what I thought.

From Project Gutenberg

There were some pools of water standing in a coulee, at whose head grew a clump of wild plum trees and other straggly growth.

From Project Gutenberg

We realized at last that it was a solitary buffalo bull, no doubt coming down to water at a little coulee just beyond us.

From Project Gutenberg

Standing in the shade of the coulee wall, he undressed deliberately, folding each garment methodically as he took it off.

From Project Gutenberg

The coulee wound aimlessly, with precipitous sides that he could not climb, even by leading his horse.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abyss
• canyon
• chasm
• crevasse
• crevice
• ditch
• gorge
• gully
• valley