dell

noun

: a secluded hollow or small valley usually covered with trees or turf

Examples of dell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Fractured and rounded by years of geological upheavals and exposure to the sculpting effects of weather, the dells are a cluster of nooks, crannies and blind curves interrupted by the course of Boulder Creek. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 To stay warm, avoid sleeping in any dips, dells, or washes, as cold air will sink and settle into them (and onto you). Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 29 Nov. 2023 Hi-ho-a-dario a spoiler in the dell! Erik Kain, Forbes, 12 July 2022 Perhaps an out-of-place twinkle from deep in the rustle of some bushes, or a delicate rainbow in the light of the local dell. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2022 The dell is one of Quock’s favorites for a couple of reasons. Carl Nolte, SFChronicle.com, 24 Oct. 2020 Organizers decided to include a timeline of different monuments placed in the dell to acknowledge the history of the space. Christine Condon, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2020 The dell flourished for years until a big storm in 1995 toppled the trees. Carl Nolte, SFChronicle.com, 24 Oct. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dell.' 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

Middle English delle; akin to Middle High German telle ravine, Old English dæl valley — more at dale

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dell was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near dell

Cite this Entry

“Dell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dell. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dell

noun
: a secluded small valley

More from Merriam-Webster on dell

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