coulee

noun

cou·​lee ˈkü-lē 

1

a

: a small stream

b

: a dry streambed

c

: a usually small or shallow ravine : gully

2

: a thick sheet or stream of lava

Examples of coulee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sagebrush steppes are cracked by muddy coulees hiding pines where the spring snow lingers. — Christopher Preston, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2020

The terrain is ideal upland bird habitat, with abundant wheat and soybean fields and plenty of coulees with cover that ringnecks relish. — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 11 Dec. 2025

Another Chilean volcano with impressive coulees is Aucanquilcha (see above), near the Chilean-Bolivian border. — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2010

Unlike most of the relatively flat Dakota prairie, the Missouri breaks that make up much of Sutton Bay’s landscape create an assortment of coulees with cattail bottoms, perfect lairs to hide the shifty late-season pheasants. — Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Canadian French coulée, from French, flowing, flow of lava, from couler to flow, from Old French, from Latin colare to strain, from colum sieve

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for coulee

• bernoulli
• lazuli
• unduly
• unruly
• cooley
• coolly
• cooly
• cruelly
• duly
• foully
• hooley
• muley

Kids Definition

coulee

noun

cou·​lee ˈkü-lē 

1

a

: a dry creek bed

b

: a usually small or shallow ravine

2

: a thick sheet or stream of lava