canyon

noun

can·​yon ˈkan-yən 

variants or less commonly cañon

1

: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it

2

: something resembling a canyon

the city's concrete canyons

Synonyms

• col
• couloir
• defile
• flume
• gap
• gill [British]
• gorge
• gulch
• gulf
• kloof [South African]
• linn [chiefly Scottish]
• notch
• pass
• ravine
• saddle

Examples of canyon in a Sentence

as the scouts made their way through the canyon, they marveled at the sheer walls of rock on both sides

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the coolest hikes within the park is Mosaic Canyon, which leads hikers into a narrow canyon with smooth, steep walls. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2024

To dig deeper into the park, consider trekking through The Narrows, a slot canyon where the walls of Zion Canyon rise 1,000 feet up while pinching to 30 feet wide at certain points. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 24 Nov. 2024

Openings in the walls are positioned to frame varied views of the canyon, establishing a strong connection between the interior and exterior. —New Atlas, 20 Nov. 2024

Supai has the canyon to thank for introducing her to her owner, Torey Mill. —Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish cañón, probably alteration of obsolete Spanish callón, augmentative of calle street, from Latin callis footpath

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

canyon

noun

can·​yon

variants also cañon

ˈkan-yən

: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it