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canyon

canyon

246 2.5
A deep, narrow valley with very steep sides often made by a river
  • noun
  • /ˈkæn.jən/
: cañón
  • The hiker admired the breathtaking views of the canyon as the sun set over the steep cliffs.
  • a slot canyon
  • canyon walls
  • canyon rim

That's how the canyons had been eroded overtime.

Examples

  • Flowing water did the rest, leaving a deep canyon stretching from the Colorado state line to below Pilar.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Once you enter that canyon, there's no stopping and no turning back.

  • The sun burst over the south wall of the canyon, and the day got hot.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • OK, so we are pretty deep in Topanga Canyon right now at your studio, also your home, right?

  • Most of the scenic views represent the canyon from the rim, looking across the vast canyon below.

    Academic text (2012)
  • There was a nostalgic feeling seeing the canyon in comparison to old photographs.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The Monterey Bay is actually a submarine canyon that reaches depths greater than 10,000 feet.

    Academic text (1991)
  • After traversing the one-fourth mile canyon, we were on our own to compose our photos.

    Academic text (1995)
  • So the beauty of the Grand Canyon, that's that's something that Kant would call sublime.

  • The monument consists of a single, forested canyon on the slope of Mt. Tamalpais.

    Academic text (1994)

Synonyms

valley
vscanyon
531 1.0

A low area of land between hills or mountains often with a river running through it

is a much deeper and narrower formation with steep sides in dry regions
gorge
vscanyon
31 5.3

A deep narrow valley with steep rocky sides, often with a river

is typically formed in dry regions rather than necessarily between mountains
canon
vscanyon
  • Archaic
1 7.9

A deep narrow valley with very steep sides

is the same meaning but written as an alternative spelling

Compounds

69 1.7

A very large steep valley carved by the Colorado River in northern Arizona

A large dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona that forms Lake Powell

A large park in northern Arizona that contains the Grand Canyon

A name for the state of Arizona that refers to the Grand Canyon

A national park in southern Utah known for its tall, thin orange rock pillars

A national park in California with giant sequoia trees, deep canyons, and high mountain lakes

A deep scenic canyon in southeastern Utah carved by the Colorado River with strong rapids

1 9.8

A medium evergreen tree that makes acorns and has long oval leathery leaves with spiny edges

1 8.3

A medium-sized evergreen oak tree with leathery spiny-edged leaves that grows in dry canyons in southwestern US and northwestern Mexico

A small frog from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico that lives near water in rocky canyons

How Deep

chasm
31 6.9
canyon
246 2.5
gorge
31 5.3
ravine
44 5.8
gully
21 4.7

Surface Forms

canyon singular
canyons plural

Etymology

Canyon comes from Spanish cañón, which meant 'large tube' or 'hollow'. That Spanish word goes back to the Latin canna, meaning 'reed' (think of the English word 'cane' for a long hollow stick). So a canyon is like a giant hollow in the earth, which explains its meaning as a deep, narrow valley.