Cheyne

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A narrow, steep-sided valley or gorge, often formed by a stream cutting through rock
2. A deep cleft or ravine carved into landscape, typically narrow and with high rocky sides
3. A precipitous valley or gorge carved by water erosion through mountainous terrain

Etymology: A tree gave this word its start. In Old French, "chesne" meant "oak," and the word passed into Anglo-Norman, the form of French used in England. Its later English form kept a connection to that wood. Anglo-Norman was a branch of French, so the word reached English by way of a French-speaking community rather than directly from Old French. Its roots lie in the name of a tree that was valued for timber and familiar across medieval Europe.