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

• canyon
• ravine
• gorge
• glen
• hollow
• vale
• dale

Examples of valley in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States. —Jenna Sundel gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 July 2025

These colorful aircrafts take passengers up more than 1,000 feet, offering stunning views of the neighboring valleys and the Wasatch Mountains surrounding downtown Park City below. —AFAR Media, 4 July 2025

Signature ciders include oak aged cherry pie a la mode, pura vida pineapple, lavender valley, lemon blueberry crisp and pure gold apple. —Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025

Listening to a police scanner, Porter was able to gather the larger plume was a structure fire in the town of Esparto, on the western edge of the valley in Yolo County, about 18 miles northwest of Davis. —Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Mercury News, 3 July 2025

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

Rhymes for valley

• alley
• alli
• bally
• calli
• challis
• dally
• galley
• galli
• lally
• mallee
• mally
• rally

Kids Definition

valley

noun

val·​ley ˈval-ē 

plural valleys

: an area of lowland between ranges of hills or mountains