vale

American  

[vayl] / veɪl /

noun

• vales
  plural

1. a valley.

2. the world, or mortal or earthly life.

   this vale of tears.

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vale ¹ British  

/ veɪl /

noun

1. a literary word for valley

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vale ² British  

/ ˈvɑːleɪ /

1. farewell; goodbye

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• vales
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of vale

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French val, from Latin vallem, accusative of vallis, vallēs “valley”

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Explanation

A vale is a long depression in the land, usually between two hills and containing a river. A vale is a valley. If you've ever gone to a place where there are mountains, you've seen plenty of mountain ranges, mountaintops, and valleys. Valleys are the low points between hills, and they are also known as vales. A vale often contains a river, because it's the lowest point and therefore somewhere water can settle and flow. If you climb a mountain, you'll see many vales, which are often long and winding. The hills and vales of an area are usually gorgeous and breathtaking.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vale vales

"Though I walk through death's dark vale, yet will I fear none ill."

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2022

“The NRF forces are present in all strategic positions across the vale to continue the fight,” the group said in a statement on Twitter.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 6, 2021

“Life,” he said, “is a vale of disaster.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2019

It’s the technocratic version of a promise of eternal bliss after we depart this vale of tears.

From The Guardian ● May 26, 2019

And Boromir will tell you that that is a great open vale that lies between the Misty Mountains and the northmost foothills of Ered Nimrais, the White Mountains of his home.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

His forge sits tucked away in one of the beacons' hidden vales, only a few miles from the cowshed where he made that bold promise all those years ago.

From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2025

And flow down to the vales and leas;

From Washington Times ● Apr. 16, 2021

I’ve enjoyed the recent rains and the way they green the vales and rinse clean our precious strip malls, a point of pride for so many L.A. residents.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2019

Meanwhile, those huge rainfalls on exposed black dirt wash it to the vales even from the flat ground of our neighborhood.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 19, 2018

Their earliest tales seem to glimpse a time when they dwelt in the upper vales of Anduin, between the eaves of Greenwood the Great and the Misty Mountains.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

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