vale

noun

1
2
: world
this vale of tears

Examples of vale in a Sentence

settled in a lush vale in the shadow of the mountains
Recent Examples on the Web The property is nestled on some 3,654 acres of pristine hills, vales and fields in southeast San Jose. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2024 Famous for its wheat and wine, this vale on the Syrian-Lebanese border has been a breadbasket in the Levant region since the time of the Romans. Aisha Ahmad, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2017 This oblong maze of rocky vales straddles the arid Nevada-Oregon borderlands, in one of the least densely populated parts of North America. Rahul Rao, Popular Science, 30 Aug. 2023 Or maybe Kyle and Whitney really are together, in the vale beyond the veil. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 9 Nov. 2022 His image is too immaculate for those of us futzing around in this vale of tears. Martin Fritz Huber, Outside Online, 10 Aug. 2021 Together players explore its murky vales as the party is beset by ancient evils, forbidden magic, and giant crows. Jess Grey, Wired, 19 May 2020 Centuries of small-scale farming have resulted in it being carved up into tiny plots separated by hills, rocky outcrops and vales. Ian Johnson, New York Times, 26 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vale.' 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, borrowed from Anglo-French val, going back to Latin vallēs, vallis, of uncertain origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vale was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vale

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

vale

noun
: valley

More from Merriam-Webster on vale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!