coulee

[ koo-lee ]

noun

1. Chiefly Western U.S. and Western Canada. a deep ravine or gulch, usually dry, that has been formed by running water.
2. a small valley.
3. a low-lying area.
4. a small intermittent stream.
5. Geology. a stream of lava.

coulee

/ -lɪ; ˈkuːleɪ /

noun

1. 1. a flow of molten lava
   2. such lava when solidified
2. a dry stream valley, especially a long steep-sided gorge or ravine that once carried melt water from a glacier
3. a small intermittent stream in such a ravine

Word History and Origins

Origin of coulee¹

1800–10, Americanism; < Canadian French, French: a flowing, noun use of feminine of coulé, past participle of couler to flow < Latin cōlāre to filter, strain, derivative of cōlum strainer, sieve; colander, portcullis

Word History and Origins

Origin of coulee¹

C19: from Canadian French coulée a flow, from French, from couler to flow, from Latin cōlāre to sift, purify; see colander

Example Sentences

In the long rural stretches, hills and coulees between the hipster hangouts and union halls of La Crosse and Eau Claire, Van Orden and Johnson campaign signs jostle with faded Trump-Pence placards.

From New York Times

I glanced over at the coulee and saw the horses.

From Literature

On the APR’s 27,000-acre Sun Prairie unit more than 400 bison roam the coulees, bluffs and creek bottoms.

From Washington Times

The plane crashed upside down in the coulee and started a fire that was quickly extinguished by Billings firefighters.

From Washington Times

Owls, golden sparrows, rough-legged hawks and other raptors arrive to take up their winter residence among the cliffs and coulees of the drainages.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• abyss
• canyon
• chasm
• crevasse
• crevice
• ditch
• gorge
• gully
• valley