vly

English

Etymology 1

Attested chiefly as vly, rarely as vlaie or fly. From a dialectal form of Middle Dutch valeye, which meant "valley" in standard Dutch; a semantic shift to meaning "swamp" occurred either in Middle Dutch or independently in the speech of both the Dutch colonists of America and the Dutch colonists of South Africa (producing vlei).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /vlaɪ/

Noun

vly (plural vlies)

1. (US, chiefly New York, now chiefly in place names) A small swampy or marshy area, especially near a stream.

Etymology 2

Noun

vly (plural vlies)

1. Alternative form of vlei