Word
vale
/ˈveɪɫ/
Definitions
01a valley
n. a valley, usually used in poems or old songs to sound more beautiful.
n. a valley, typically used in poetic or pastoral literature to evoke a sense of peace or nature.
“The sun set slowly over the green vale, hiding the small village in shadow.”
“The poet described a hidden vale where the stream ran clear and the noise of the city could never reach.”
Literary
Usage
Commonly found in the phrase 'vale of tears' to describe the world as a place of trouble.
Teaching tip
This is almost never used in daily conversation; students will only encounter it in classic literature or hymns.
02farewell
interj. a formal way to say goodbye, taken from the Latin language.
interj. a Latin loanword used as a formal or academic valediction.
“He ended his final letter to his old friend with a simple 'Vale'.”
“The professor concluded the eulogy with 'Vale', a final salute to a colleague who had dedicated his life to classical studies.”
Formal · Archaic
Usage
Usually written rather than spoken; often used as a closing in formal or academic correspondence.
Teaching tip
Explain that this is the singular form of the Latin 'valete'; it is mostly used by people with a background in classical languages.
Idioms
vale of tears — The world, a place where difficulties and the sorrows of life are felt, especially (Christianity) as a place to be left behind when one dies and goes to heaven.