vale

noun

ˈvāl 

1

: valley, dale

2

: world

this vale of tears

Synonyms

• dale
• dene [British]
• hollow
• valley

Example Sentences

settled in a lush vale in the shadow of the mountains

Recent Examples on the Web

The whole thing was a vale of tiers. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2021

The purchase price will be at least 14% higher than the 2018 appraised vale of the properties: $35.5 million, according to the mayor’s office. —Roy S. Johnson | [e-mail], al, 22 Oct. 2020

Or maybe Kyle and Whitney really are together, in the vale beyond the veil. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 9 Nov. 2022

His image is too immaculate for those of us futzing around in this vale of tears. —Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 10 Aug. 2021

Together players explore its murky vales as the party is beset by ancient evils, forbidden magic, and giant crows. —Jess Grey, Wired, 19 May 2020

My mental image of the Peaceable Kingdom—the utopia that will succeed this vale of tears—definitely involves dumb ducks blithely bobbing. —Nell Zink, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019

Centuries of small-scale farming have resulted in it being carved up into tiny plots separated by hills, rocky outcrops and vales. —Ian Johnson, New York Times, 26 Sep. 2019

The Lamar Valley is renowned for some of the park’s best wildlife viewing, especially in winter when many of the animals take shelter in the snowy vale. —Joe Yogerst, National Geographic, 9 Apr. 2019

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French val, going back to Latin vallēs, vallis, of uncertain origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

vale

noun

ˈvā(ə)l 

: valley