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• dene
  dene

  noun

  a bare, sandy tract or low sand hill near the sea.
• Dene
  Dene

  plural noun

  the North American Indian peoples of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories in Canada. The official body representing them is called the Dene Nation

dene

American  

[deen] / din /

Or dean

noun

British.

1. a bare, sandy tract or low sand hill near the sea.

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Dene ¹ British  

/ ˈdɛneɪ, ˈdɛnɪ /

plural noun

1. the North American Indian peoples of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories in Canada. The official body representing them is called the Dene Nation

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dene ² British  

/ diːn /

noun

1. a valley, esp one that is narrow and wooded

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dene ³ British  

/ diːn /

noun

1. dialect a sandy stretch of land or dune near the sea

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Etymology

Origin of dene

1815–20; earlier den, in same sense, Middle English (in phrase den and strond ); perhaps to be identified with Middle English dene, Old English denu, dænu valley

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dene Dene

Bryng us in no mutton, for that is often lene, Nor bryng us in no trypys, for thei be syldom dene But bryng us in good ale.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Like the prodigal, he grew that ashamit o' what he had dene, that he gied up his kirk, and gaed hame to the day's darg upon his father's ferm.

From Salted with Fire by George MacDonald

Thanne was Sr. John Slake at Westm’, dene of the kynges chapell, arested and put in prison in Ludgate, and othere certeyn monkes of Westm’.

From A Chronicle of London from 1089 to 1483 Written in the Fifteenth Century, and for the First Time Printed from MSS. in the British Museum by Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas

Night's noon stars coyly peep, O'er dale and dene and deep, And Fairies fair float through the air, Love's festival to keep.

From The Zankiwank and The Bletherwitch An Original Fantastic Fairy Extravaganza by S. J. Adair Fitzgerald

And to say truth, dene is the old Saxon word for a vale or low bottom, as dune or don is for a hill or hilly soil.

From Elizabethan England From 'A Description of England,' by William Harrison by William Harrison

The site is located on the traditional lands of the Sahtú Dene and Métis.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026

Cleveland Police said a quantity of suspected WW2 ordnance was discovered and had been set alight, leaving one person with minor burns, as crews were called to Crimdon Dene beach, near Hartlepool, on Tuesday morning.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

Prosecutors at Reading Crown Court said any competent driver should still have avoided the Micra, owned by Dhillon's daughter, Rajpal Dene.

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026

They pass through Bridle Dene while walking their two dogs.

From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2024

The day of the trial came, and Walter Dene, pale and haggard with much vigil, walked in a dream and faintly from his hotel to the court-house.

From Strange Stories by Grant Allen