Ravine
noun /rəˈviːn/ — A deep narrow valley — smaller than a canyon, more intimate than a gorge.
Definition
A deep, narrow gorge with steep sides, typically formed by the action of running water.
Beyond the definition
A ravine has an intimacy that a canyon lacks — you can hear the stream at the bottom, the walls are close, the sky is a narrow strip above. It's the landscape equivalent of a secret.
Origin & history
From French ravine — rushing stream (from ravir: to carry away, seize, from Latin rapere: to seize). The valley carved by water that seizes what it moves through.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The ravine cut through the property like a secret the land was keeping.
She found the ravine on an afternoon walk and returned to it obsessively — there was something about its enclosure.
In Gothic fiction, ravines always signal something hidden — geography as character.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Ravine” when the meaning fits your context: A deep, narrow gorge with steep sides, typically formed by the action of running water.
Synonyms
Antonyms
ridge, hill, plateau
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
View into a deep rocky valley
A waterfall flows through a deep, narrow canyon with steep sides, showing the erosion of the surrounding rock.
The deep, narrow valley formed by the water's movement illustrates a ravine. The steep sides and rocky walls clearly define the sharp, eroded character of the landscape.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Ravine" mean?
Ravine is noun meaning: A deep narrow valley — smaller than a canyon, more intimate than a gorge.. A deep, narrow gorge with steep sides, typically formed by the action of running water.
Where does the word "Ravine" come from?
From French ravine — rushing stream (from ravir: to carry away, seize, from Latin rapere: to seize). The valley carved by water that seizes what it moves through.