gulch
Gulch (noun) means a narrow, steep-sided ravine, often cut by flash floods, shallower than a canyon. Example: “The old mining town sat at the bottom of a rocky gulch.”
How to use gulch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small, steep valley or ravine, often dry, carved out by running water.
A gulch is typically deeper and narrower than a gully but smaller than a canyon or gulf — the terms overlap but aren't identical.
Word forms
- Plural
- gulches
- Third person singular
- gulches
- Past tense
- gulched
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old mining town sat at the bottom of a rocky _____.
Etymology
From an earlier form "gulsh," related to Middle English gulchen ("to gulp, spew"); probably connected to "gulp."