canyon

¹

or ca·ñon

[ kan-yuhn ]

noun

1. a deep valley with steep sides, often with a stream flowing through it.

   Synonyms: coulee, arroyo, gap, pass, ravine, gully, gorge

Canyon

²

[ kan-yuhn ]

noun

1. a town in N Texas.

canyon

/ ˈkænjən /

noun

1. a gorge or ravine, esp in North America, usually formed by the down-cutting of a river in a dry area where there is insufficient rainfall to erode the sides of the valley

canyon

/ kăn′yən /

1. A long, deep, narrow valley with steep cliff walls, cut into the Earth by running water and often having a stream at the bottom.

Word History and Origins

Origin of canyon¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1835–45; from Colonial Spanish (Mexico, southwestern U.S.), Spanish cañón “a long tube, a hollow,” equivalent to cañ(a) “tube” (from Latin canna cane ) + -on augmentative suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of canyon¹

C19: from Spanish cañón, from caña tube, from Latin canna cane

Example Sentences

The McWaids watched in horror as flames jumped up the canyon and into their backyard, without warning.

From Los Angeles Times

All of a sudden, the blaze “was in this canyon by the house in the backyard.”

From Los Angeles Times

But the hilltops and open canyons also have provided spaces to unleash unbridled joy from new romance, exciting career turns and those same family members’ health and recovery.

From Los Angeles Times

The blaze “was in this canyon by the house in the backyard.”

From Los Angeles Times

County’s Office of Emergency Management, urged residents to be ready to evacuate “at a moment’s notice,” especially those living in the canyon, mountain or foothill communities.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• gorge
• gully
• ravine
• valley