rift valley: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No. It is capitalised only when part of a proper name, like 'the East African Rift Valley' or 'the Great Rift Valley'. In general descriptions, it is lower case: 'The region contains several ancient rift valleys.'

No. 'Rift valley' is a noun phrase. However, the word 'rift' can be used as a verb meaning to split or tear apart, often in a social or metaphorical sense.

A rift valley is formed by tectonic forces stretching and fracturing the Earth's crust, causing a block to drop down. A river valley is carved by the erosive action of flowing water over time. Their origins are completely different.

Metaphorically, a 'rift valley' describes a deep and widening division between groups (e.g., political parties, generations, ideologies), emphasising that the separation is fundamental, hard to bridge, and likely to grow, much like a geological rift.

A long, narrow valley formed by the subsidence of land between parallel faults, typically created by tectonic extension.

Rift valley is usually technical / academic / figurative (when used metaphorically) in register.

Rift valley: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrɪft ˌvæli/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈrɪft ˌvæli/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.