gully

1 of 3

noun (1)

gul·​ly ˈgu̇-lē  ˈgə- 

plural gullies

dialectal British

: a large knife

gully

2 of 3

noun (2)

gul·​ly ˈgə-lē 

variants or less commonly gulley

plural gullies

1

: a trench which was originally worn in the earth by running water and through which water often runs after rains

2

: a small valley or gulch

gully

3 of 3

verb

gul·​ly ˈgə-lē 

gullied; gullying

transitive verb

: to make gullies in

intransitive verb

: to undergo erosion : form gullies

Examples of gully in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Adding a cultural twist to the week, Viktor Hovland was spotted exploring Chandni Chowk in a rickshaw (a three-wheeler vehicle used by the locals), Old Delhi’s historic marketplace known for its centuries-old architecture and gullies. —Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Instead, a new study suggests that the gullies are sculpted by slabs of dry ice that form during the Martian winter. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2025

Using the ‘Mars Chamber’ For years, scientists have hypothesized that CO2 ice blocks play a role in forming these meandering gullies on Mars. —Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025

The Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance has launched a project to examine how sediment erosion can be controlled in ravines and gullies. —Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 14 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

short for English dialect gully knife

Noun (2)

obsolete English gully gullet, probably alteration of Middle English golet ravine, throat

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1582, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1754, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing gully

• gully erosion

Rhymes for gully

• cully
• drily
• dully
• gulley
• shaly
• tumuli

Kids Definition

gully

noun

gul·​ly

ˈgəl-ē

plural gullies

: a trench worn in the earth by running water after rains

gully verb