valley

/ˈvæli/

//ˈvæli// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"valley" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“valley” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,974 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,974
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An elongated depression cast between hills or mountains, often with a river flowing through it.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

valley vs value
67% similar
valley vs valve
67% similar
valley vs ville
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for valley
PropertyValue
Headwordvalley
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈvæli/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,974
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “valley” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). valley lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for valley is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvæli/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,974 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for valley, with forms such as "avlley", "valely", and "valey". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 13 confusable-pair relationships, "value", "valve", "ville", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English valeye, valey, from Anglo-Norman valey, Old French valee (compare French vallée), from Latin vallēs/vallis. Doublet of vlei and vly. Displaced native dene, from dene and partially displaced native dale, from dæl. The correct English form is valley, spelled V-A-L-L-E-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    An elongated depression cast between hills or mountains, often with a river flowing through it.
  2. 2
    An area which drains itself into a river.
  3. 3
    Any structure resembling one, e.g. the interior angle formed by the intersection of two sloping roof planes.

Etymology

From Middle English valeye, valey, from Anglo-Norman valey, Old French valee (compare French vallée), from Latin vallēs/vallis. Doublet of vlei and vly. Displaced native dene, from dene and partially displaced native dale, from dæl.

Synonyms

valleycombedaledellsladevale

Antonyms

levée

This word in other languages

valle(Español)vallée(Français)Senke(Deutsch)vale(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: avlley,valely,valey,valleyy,vallye,vlaley,vvalley

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of valley - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

avlley2valely2valey1valleyy1vallye2vlaley2vvalley1
Edit distance from "valley"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "valley"?
"valley" is spelled V-A-L-L-E-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvæli/.
What does "valley" mean?
As a noun, "valley" means: An elongated depression cast between hills or mountains, often with a river flowing through it.
What words are commonly confused with "valley"?
"valley" is commonly confused with "value", "valve", "ville". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "valley"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "valley" is /ˈvæli/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "valley"?
From Middle English valeye, valey, from Anglo-Norman valey, Old French valee (compare French vallée), from Latin vallēs/vallis. Doublet of vlei and vly. Displaced native dene, from dene and partially displaced native dale, from dæl. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “valley”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is V-A-L-L-E-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈvæli/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “value” - see the side-by-side comparison. valley vs value
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list