dene

American  

[deen] / din /

Or dean

noun

British.

1. a bare, sandy tract or low sand hill near the sea.

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Dene ¹ British  

/ ˈdɛneɪ, ˈdɛnɪ /

plural noun

1. the North American Indian peoples of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories in Canada. The official body representing them is called the Dene Nation

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dene ² British  

/ diːn /

noun

1. a valley, esp one that is narrow and wooded

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dene ³ British  

/ diːn /

noun

1. dialect a sandy stretch of land or dune near the sea

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Etymology

Origin of dene

1815–20; earlier den, in same sense, Middle English (in phrase den and strond ); perhaps to be identified with Middle English dene, Old English denu, dænu valley

Example Sentences

Bryng us in no mutton, for that is often lene, Nor bryng us in no trypys, for thei be syldom dene But bryng us in good ale.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Hyre byrigen is swutol eallum onlociendum o� �ysne andweardan d�g, on middan ��re dene Iosaphat.

From The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of ?lfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I. by Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham

Night's noon stars coyly peep, O'er dale and dene and deep, And Fairies fair float through the air, Love's festival to keep.

From The Zankiwank and The Bletherwitch An Original Fantastic Fairy Extravaganza by Fitzgerald, S. J. Adair

Csars dene, perhaps don: Cæsar's dene, Cæsar's plains; now Salisbury plaine.

From The Natural History of Wiltshire by Aubrey, John

And to say truth, dene is the old Saxon word for a vale or low bottom, as dune or don is for a hill or hilly soil.

From Elizabethan England From 'A Description of England,' by William Harrison by Harrison, William