# vale

/ˈveɪɫ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vale
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a valley

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a valley, usually used in poems or old songs to sound more beautiful.

For teachers: 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.

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.

### 2. farewell

interjection · CEFR C2 · Formal · Archaic

a formal way to say goodbye, taken from the Latin language.

For teachers: 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.

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.

## Examples

- The mist settled over the quiet vale at dawn.
- The hikers looked down from the ridge into the green vale where a small stream wound through the trees.
- In the romantic poetry of the nineteenth century, the vale often serves as a sanctuary of peace, contrasting sharply with the industrial noise of the growing cities.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.