canyon

canyon
/kan"yeuhn/, n.
a deep valley with steep sides, often with a stream flowing through it.
Also, cañon.
[1835-45, Amer.; < AmerSp, Sp cañón a long tube, a hollow, equiv. to cañ(a) tube ( < L canna CANE) + -on aug. suffix]
Syn. gorge, gully, ravine, pass, gap, arroyo, coulee.

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I
Very narrow, deep valley cut by a river through resistant rock and having steep, almost vertical sides.

Canyons occur most often in arid or semiarid regions. Some canyons (e.g., the Grand Canyon) are spectacular natural features. See also submarine canyon.
II
(as used in expressions)

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      city, seat (1889) of Randall county, northern Texas, U.S., in the Texas Panhandle, 16 miles (26 km) south of Amarillo, at a point where the Palo Duro and Tierra Blanca creeks meet to form the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. The site originated in 1878 as headquarters for the T-Anchor Ranch; with the arrival of the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway in 1898, it emerged as an important regional shipping centre for cattle and agricultural produce. Although still a ranching and farming centre, the major economic influence is West Texas A&M University, which was established there as a college in 1910.

      Of note within the city is the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (1921) on the university campus. Canyon is also a gateway to the scenic Palo Duro Canyon State Park, 12 miles (19 km) east; with an area of 16,402 acres (6,638 hectares), it is the largest state park in Texas, extending across the tabletop expanse of the High Plains of the Panhandle. Palo Duro Canyon (about 120 miles [200 km] long) was carved by the main channel of the Red River, aided by rains and wind erosion; it has ravines that plunge 1,000 feet (300 metres), exposing multicoloured rock strata covering 300 million years of four geologic ages. The canyon was the scene of the last great Indian battle in Texas (1874) when U.S. cavalry under Colonel R.S. Mackenzie routed a camp of Comanches (Comanche) who had left their reservations. Charles Goodnight, the famed Texas cattleman, later established his Old Home Ranch nearby. The Canyon Pioneer Amphitheatre, within the park, is the setting each summer for Texas, a musical drama by Paul Green (Green, Paul). Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Six Gun Territory (a replica of a frontier town) are additional local attractions. Inc. 1906. Pop. (1990) 11,365; (2000) 12,875.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • canyon — [ kanjɔ̃; kanjɔn ] ou cañon [ kaɲɔn ] n. m. • cagnon 1856; esp. du Mexique cañon, augment. de caño « tube »; cf. canne ♦ Gorge très profonde creusée par un cours d eau dans une chaîne de montagnes. Le Grand Canyon du Colorado. Océanogr. Longue et …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Canyon — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Canyon es el nombre de una serie de siete satélites de reconocimiento de la Fuerza Aérea de Estados Unidos. Fueron los primeros grandes satélites espía de los Estados Unidos y todos fueron lanzados desde Cabo… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Canyon — Canyon, TX U.S. city in Texas Population (2000): 12875 Housing Units (2000): 5091 Land area (2000): 4.951991 sq. miles (12.825598 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.951991 sq. miles (12.825598 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Canyon, TX — U.S. city in Texas Population (2000): 12875 Housing Units (2000): 5091 Land area (2000): 4.951991 sq. miles (12.825598 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.951991 sq. miles (12.825598 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • canyon — /ˈkɛnjon, ingl. ˈkænjən/ s. m. inv. cañón (sp.), valle, forra, gola, canalone. SFUMATURE canyon gola forra Canyon è una parola inglese che designa in maniera specifica una valle tipica dell America settentrionale, originata dall erosione fluviale …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • Canyon — Can yon, n. The English form of the Spanish word {Ca[ n]on}. [1913 Webster] || …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • canyon — / kænjən/, it. / kɛnjon/ s. ingl. [adattam. angloamer. dello sp. cañón ], usato in ital. al masch. (geogr.) [vallata molto profonda a forma di corridoio, incisa da un fiume in un tavolato, con pareti strapiombanti] ▶◀ Ⓖ (tosc.) botro, forra, gola …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • canyon — (n.) 1834, from Mex.Sp. cañon, extended sense of Sp. cañon a pipe, tube, gorge, from cano a tube, from L. canna reed (see CANE (Cf. cane)). But earlier spelling callon (1560s) might suggest a source in calle street …   Etymology dictionary

  • canyon — [n] gulf in mountain area coulee, glen, gorge, gulch, gully, ravine, valley; concepts 509,513 Ant. mountain …   New thesaurus

  • canyon — ► NOUN ▪ a deep gorge, especially one with a river flowing through it. ORIGIN Spanish cañón tube , from Latin canna cane …   English terms dictionary

  • canyon — ☆ canyon [kan′yən ] n. [AmSp cañón < Sp, a pipe, tube, gorge < caño, a tube < L canna, a reed: see CANE] a long, narrow valley between high cliffs, often with a stream flowing through it …   English World dictionary

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