valley

noun

val·​ley ˈva-lē 

plural valleys

1

a

: an elongate depression of the earth's surface usually between ranges of hills or mountains

b

: an area drained by a river and its tributaries

2

: a low point or condition

3

a

: hollow, depression

b

: the place of meeting of two slopes of a roof that form on the plan a reentrant angle

Synonyms

• dale
• dene [British]
• hollow
• vale

Examples of valley in a Sentence

the valley will be the first to flood if the river rises

Recent Examples on the Web

Razor-thin ridges dropped into deep valleys, while the tiny village of Hanavave provided a sense of scale. —David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2025

At the end of a winding gravel drive, in the valley of two wooded hills here, is a small stream. —Ainsley Platt, arkansasonline.com, 29 Dec. 2024

Additional snow accumulations of four to eight inches in valleys including Stanley and Ketchum are forecast, and 10 to 20 inches from pass level into the backcountry including Galena and Banner Summits. —Emma Marsden, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024

For 416 days, the farm — a collection of fish pools, hatcheries and a caviar-harvesting plant in a valley between Lebanon and Syria — was directly in the crossfire. —Jack Nicas, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English valeye, borrowed from Anglo-French valee (early Old French valede), from val "valley" + -ee, noun suffix (here with augmentative force), going back to Latin -āta, feminine of -ātus -ate entry 1 — more at vale

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing valley

• inter-valley
• lily of the valley
• rift valley
• San Joaquin valley fever
• valley fever

Kids Definition

valley

noun

val·​ley ˈval-ē 

plural valleys

: an area of lowland between ranges of hills or mountains