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gul·ly¹

(gŭlē)

n. pl. gul·lies

1. A deep ditch or channel cut in the earth by running water after a prolonged downpour.

2. A channel in the side of a mountain, especially one forming a path for avalanches or rockfall.

v. gul·lied, gul·ly·ing, gul·lies

v.tr.

To wear a deep ditch or channel in.

v.intr.

To form a deep ditch or channel.

[Perhaps alteration of Middle English golet, throat, channel; see GULLET.]

gul·ly²

(gŭlē)

n. pl. gul·lies
Chiefly British

A large knife.

[Short for dialectal gully knife : gully (probably alteration of Middle English golet, throat; see GULLET) + KNIFE.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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