In
physical geography, a dell is a grassy
hollow—or dried stream bed—often partially covered in trees.[1][2] In literature, dells have
pastoral connotations, frequently imagined as secluded and pleasant safe havens.
The word "dell" comes from the
Old English word dell, which is related to the
Old English word dæl, modern 'dale'.[2][3] Dells in literature. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with dingle, although this specifically refers to deep ravines or hollows that are embowered with trees.[4] The terms have also been combined to form examples of
tautological placenames in Dingle Dell, Kent, and Dingle Dell Reserve, Auckland.[5][6]
In popular culture
Rivendell – Fictional valley of Elves in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth — Tolkien's fictional Elvish locale.
"
The Farmer in the Dell" – an American folk song brought to United States by German immigrants.
Dewey Dell – a fictional character in William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying who travels to a nearby town in hopes of obtaining an abortion.
Related places in the United States
Hollywood Dell, Los Angeles – human settlement in Los Angeles, California, United States of AmericaPages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback