canyon

¹ American  

[kan-yuhn] / ˈkæn yən /

Or cañon

noun

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

   Synonyms:

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

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Canyon ² American  

[kan-yuhn] / ˈkæn yən /

noun

1. a town in N Texas.

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canyon British  

/ 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

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canyon Scientific  

/ 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.

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Etymology

Origin of canyon

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

Explanation

A canyon is a deep, narrow valley surrounded by tall cliffs. Because a canyon is often very deep, be very cautious when standing on the rocky cliffs above. The noun canyon refers to a deep ravine that has been cut into the earth's surface over a long period of time by erosion from a running river. Also known as a gorge, it usually has very steep walls with rocky cliffs. One of the most famous examples is the Grand Canyon, which was cut by the Colorado River. It's an astounding 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep.

Example Sentences

The $38 gap in Asia is a canyon.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Fellow car enthusiast Evan Sawyer said Baron admired the beauty of the canyon roads and found peace in driving calmly along them.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

One location is Aram Chaos, situated northeast of the canyon system where ancient water once flowed toward lower terrain to the north.

From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026

The feud is unfolding in one of America’s most spectacular corners, a box canyon beneath a concentration of 13,000- and 14,000-foot peaks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

Julia pointed to a light on the west side of the canyon.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Related Words

• gorge
• gully
• ravine
• valley