noun
canyon
KAN-yuhn
noun
1
A deep, narrow valley with steep sides, usually carved out by a river over a long time.
"The Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon over millions of years."
"They hiked down into the canyon at sunrise to beat the heat."
verb
1
Of water or another liquid, to cut a canyon-like channel as it flows.
"Meltwater had canyoned through the soft rock over centuries."
How to Use Canyon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA big, steep-sided valley cut by a river, like the Grand Canyon.
Common pairings
deep canyon
canyon walls
hike a canyon
Word Forms
canyoned past tense, canyons plural, canyons singular
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The Colorado River carved the Grand _____ over millions of years.
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish cañón — the same word gives us "cannon" (both trace back to a Latin word for a tube or pipe).