valance
Americannoun
-
a short curtain or piece of drapery that is hung from the edge of a canopy, from the frame of a bed, etc.
-
a short ornamental piece of drapery placed across the top of a window.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of valance
1400–50; late Middle English; perhaps after Valence, French city noted for cloth-making
Explanation
The flouncy bit of fabric at the top of a window is a valance. Sometimes, people use a valance to cover an unattractive curtain rod. Don't confuse valance with valence — you'll only use the latter when you're talking about atoms in chemistry class. A valance, on the other hand, is a decorative piece of drapery, part of a fairly elaborate window treatment. In Victorian times, valances were extremely popular, used by many home decorators. Experts suspect this word comes from the Old French valer, "go down or let down."
Vocabulary lists containing valance
"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 9
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He is a property tycoon, the husband of former pop singer Holly Valance and until recently was a donor to the Tories.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2025
Robbie, Imbruglia and Valance made remote video appearances.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2022
In many Hollywood classics, from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance to All the President’s Men, the choices made by a newspaper editor are pivotal.
From The Guardian • Dec. 30, 2017
One would hope that "even" NYT reporters could get their history straight, but apparently they get it from films like "The Man who Killed Liberty Valance."
From New York Times • Apr. 8, 2016
It was kind of like how in The Outsiders, Ponyboy and Cherry Valance are from completely different worlds, but they understand each other, at least in some ways.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
