vallon

small valley

noun vah-LOHN Rare

Also means

dale

Usage Note

Vallon is a diminutive of val/vallée, denoting a small, often picturesque valley nestled between hills. It is a common element in French place names and literary landscape descriptions. The plural vallons follows the regular pattern; the related adjective vallonné means 'rolling' or 'undulating' (of terrain).

Examples

"Le sentier traverse un vallon verdoyant."

Natural Translation

The path crosses a green valley.

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