valley

IPA/ˈvæli/
KK[vˈæli]IPA/ˈvæli/

valley — noun

  • valleysingular
  • valleysplural

1. A low area of land that lies between two hills or mountains, where a river or st

1.nounA2
Definition

A low area of land that lies between two hills or mountains, where a river or stream often runs.

Example

The small farming village sits in a wide valley between two wooded hills.

in a valley — location preposition

Charlotte stood on the cliff and looked down at the river winding through the valley.

Common collocations
  • wide valley
  • deep valley
  • narrow valley
  • mountain valley
  • river valley
  • valley floor
  • valley town
  • green valley
  • fertile valley
Synonyms
  • gorge

    A much deeper, narrower valley with very steep rocky sides

  • canyon

    A deep, narrow valley with steep sides, especially in dry or desert areas

  • dale

    A poetic or regional British term for a valley, especially in northern England

  • hollow

    A small valley or basin-shaped low area, often rounded

Antonyms
  • mountain

    A very high area of land rising steeply above the surrounding land

  • ridge

    The long, narrow top of a mountain range, opposite to the low ground of a valley

Grammar Patterns

valley + of + noun

in/through/across + valley

Usage Note

Frequently paired with a geographical modifier to form compound nouns (valley floor, valley town, valley stream). Prepositions most commonly used are in, through, across, and down.

Common Mistakes

We climbed up the valley.
We walked through the valley.
A valley is low ground; to go higher you would climb the mountain, not the valley.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Valley is the general term for any low area between hills or mountains, often with a river. A gorge is narrower and steeper, formed by a river cutting through rock over a long time — for example, a hiker might cross a bridge over a deep gorge. A canyon is similar but typically wider at the top and found in dry climates, like the Grand Canyon. Dale is a softer, more poetic word used mainly in British place names and literature, while hollow refers to a small, rounded valley or basin, often used for sheltered spots in farming regions. Use 'valley' for everyday geographic description; choose 'gorge' when emphasising steep, rocky depth; 'canyon' for desert or large-scale landscapes; 'dale' for literary or regional British contexts; and 'hollow' for small, bowl-shaped low areas.

valley ↗gorge ↗canyon ↗dale ↗hollow ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • the bottom of the valley
  • the far side of the valley
  • a valley between mountains

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Valley comes from Old French valee, meaning 'a valley,' which developed from Latin valles or vallis (also 'valley'). The word has been used in English since the 13th century to describe the low ground between hills where water collects and flows.