glen

The word “glen” means a narrow, secluded valley, especially in Scotland or Ireland. In plain terms, a small, narrow valley, often used in Scottish and Irish place names.

“Glen” is pronounced glehn (/ɡlɛn/ in IPA).

Here is “glen” used in a sentence: “They hiked through a quiet glen surrounded by hills.”

“Glen” is a noun.

The word “glen” comes from Scottish Gaelic. From Scottish Gaelic and Irish gleann, "mountain valley.".

“Glen” is a fairly common word in modern English.

A glen is a specific kind of valley: narrow, deep, and secluded, and the word is strongly associated with Scotland and Ireland. Valley is the general term for any low area between hills or mountains, of any size or shape.

Both words describe valleys, but a glen is typically narrow and steep-sided and is linked to Scotland and Ireland, while a dale is a broader, more open valley associated with northern England. The difference reflects regional naming traditions rather than a strict geographic rule.

In Scottish landscape terms, a glen is a narrow, enclosed valley, whereas a strath is a wider, flatter river valley. The distinction is mainly one of width: a strath is broad and gently sloping, a glen is deep and confined.

Because glen is a common landscape word in Scotland, it appears in many place and brand names, such as Glencoe and Glenfinnan, describing the narrow valley the place occupies. The element comes from a Gaelic word meaning valley.