Gulch
/ɡʌltʃ/noun
A narrow, steep-sided ravine or gully, often dry except after heavy rain.
Did you know?Gulch is probably a U.S. English formation influenced by regional dialects and related to the older English word gully, with no hidden demon-root — just a brutally earthy landscape word.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
gully
“A small ravine or watercourse”
17th-18th Century
English
gull
“A channel or ravine in some dialects”
19th Century
English
gulch
“A ravine or narrow valley, especially in the American West”
Modern English
English
gulch
“A narrow, steep-sided ravine or gully”