DictionaryAI

valley

VAL-ee/ˈvæli/

Pluralvalleys

4 meanings of valley

Practice

  1. 1
    land between hillsnouncountable
    A low area of land between hills or mountains, often with a river.

    Like the low dip you see between two hills.

    The small village sits in a green valley between two tall hills.

    We hiked down into the valley to reach the cold river.

    UsageSay in the valley; more than one is valleys.

    Similarvale, dale

    Oppositepeak, hill

  2. 2
    drainage areanouncountable
    The whole area of land where rain and streams flow down into one river.

    Like a big funnel where all the water in the area runs down to one river.

    The whole valley drains into the Colorado River.

    Rain that falls anywhere in the Ohio Valley ends up in the Ohio River.

    UsageUsed in names like the Ohio Valley.

    Similarbasin, catchment, watershed

    Note
  3. 3
    roof anglenouncountable
    The inward angle where two sloping parts of a roof meet, where rain runs down.

    Like the low line where two sides of a tent come together.

    The roofer sealed the valley where the two slopes met to stop the leaks.

    Leaves piled up in the valley of the roof and blocked the water.

    Similartrough

    Oppositehip, ridge

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    verbrareintransitive
    To curve downward into the shape of a valley.
    There must be something atavistic in the male blood that makes it rush, relent, rush with the peaks and the valleys, the roundness of Lia's breasts valleying and peaking, the stretch of her neck, the swaying of her hips.
    2009, Gian Franco Romagnoli, The Bicycle Runner: A Memoir of LoveHere, valleying means curving downward like a valley.

    Similardip, slope, descend, sink

    Oppositerise

    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Old French valee, from Latin vallis meaning valley.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts