canyon

noun

can·​yon ˈkan-yən How to pronounce canyon (audio)
variants or less commonly
1
: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it
2
: something resembling a canyon
the city's concrete canyons

Examples of canyon in a Sentence

as the scouts made their way through the canyon, they marveled at the sheer walls of rock on both sides
Recent Examples on the Web Several also mentioned a teen who’d stood in the canyon wearing a white sheet. Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 14 Mar. 2024 Four years ago, as a deadly virus began to upend the world, Jessica Jacobs was at home in Los Angeles, in a wooded canyon that has long attracted bohemian types, and like many Americans was binge-watching true crime documentaries on Netflix. Tim Arango, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Uncertainty exists regarding the legality of collective voluntary efforts to maintain canyon paths within city ordinances, since volunteer fruit trees were uprooted. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 Since 1982, Sallie Reeves and her husband have lived atop a serene Rancho Palos Verdes canyon, overlooking the sparkling Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island, with little reason to worry about the slow-moving landslide complex beneath their feet. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024 Early effects of removing dams were expected Residents and curious tourists were alarmed to see gray, sticky mud flats and masses of dead fish where the reservoirs once filled the canyons. The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2024 The Cattail Course features deep canyons, several lakes and views of the landscape. Katie Sweeney, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 There is the potential for mudslides and rockslides on canyon roads and below steep hillsides, and ongoing land movement in recent landslide areas. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2024 These gardens in Clairemont, including Bay Ho and Bay Park, showcase solutions to managing canyon views, gardening in small spaces, overcoming steep hillsides, managing pests and providing luxurious entertainment accommodations. Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'canyon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish cañón, probably alteration of obsolete Spanish callón, augmentative of calle street, from Latin callis footpath

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of canyon was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near canyon

Cite this Entry

“Canyon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canyon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

canyon

noun
can·​yon
variants also cañon
ˈkan-yən
: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it

More from Merriam-Webster on canyon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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