gulch

American  

[guhlch] / gʌltʃ /

noun

1. a deep, narrow ravine, especially one marking the course of a stream or torrent.

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gulch British  

/ ɡʌltʃ /

noun

1. a narrow ravine cut by a fast stream

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Etymology

Origin of gulch

1825–35; compare British dialect gulch, gulsh to run with a full stream, gush, (of land) to sink in, Middle English gulchen to spew forth, gush; expressive word akin to gulp, gush, etc.

Explanation

A gulch is a deep, narrow ditch with a stream running through its base. A "gully" is very similar to, but smaller than, a gulch. In geology, a gulch is generally described as "a v-shaped valley," with either a dry creek bed or an active creek at the bottom. The gulch itself is formed by gradual erosion. In Canada, gulch is also defined as "a narrow salt water cove or channel." Gulch is an American word believed to stem from the now-obsolete gulsh, "gush out," from Middle English gulchen, "to gush forth."

Example Sentences

Homes slide into a gulch in Palos Verdes.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 11, 2023

That night, a search dog found Welch’s body in the nearby gulch.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 22, 2022

Fairfax officials readily agreed, seeing an opportunity to report another storm water cleanup project to state officials while eliminating a safety hazard caused by a deepening gulch in one of the streams.

From Washington Post • Jan. 25, 2020

Black Draw, a gulch running through the middle of the refuge, is normally as dry as a hot sidewalk.

From Salon • Jan. 21, 2020

There is a hidden route into the gulch at its lower end, however.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer