Death Valley

American  

noun

1. an arid basin in eastern California and southern Nevada: lowest land in North America. About 1,500 square miles (3,900 square kilometers); 280 feet (85 meters) below sea level.

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Death Valley British  

noun

1. a desert valley in E California and W Nevada: the lowest, hottest, and driest area of the US. Lowest point: 86 m (282 ft) below sea level. Area: about 3885 sq km (1500 sq miles)

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Death Valley Cultural  

1. Desert valley in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada.

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The lowest point in North America — 282 feet below sea level.

Etymology

Origin of Death Valley

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Death Valley on Thursday scorched in 40C degrees while the often cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29C degrees, and skiers in Colorado were hitting the slopes shirtless.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Previous superblooms in Death Valley occurred in 1998, 2005 and 2016.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

“The last major wildflower bloom in Death Valley occurred in 2016,” Fraga said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

But it’s a marvel to people who live in or visit Death Valley, and a reminder of the extreme weather that has been hitting the area more than 200 feet below sea level.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

“Aberdeen Lake” sounds romantic and mysterious, like it might be located somewhere in die Scottish Highlands, as opposed to an abandoned outpost at the edge of Death Valley.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith