An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A trench or ravine worn away by running water in the earth.

Etymology (EN): Gully, a variant of M.E. golet “water channel,” from O.Fr. goulet, dim. of goule “throat, neck,” from L. gula; cf. Mod.Pers. galu “throat,” geri, geribân “collar,” gerivé “low hill,” gardan “neck;” Mid.Pers. galôg, griv “throat,” gartan “neck,” Av. grīvā- “neck;” Skt. gala- “throat, neck,” Gk. bora “food;” L. vorare “to devour;” PIE base *g^wer- “to swallow, devour.”

Etymology (PE): Âbkand, literally “dug by water,” from âb “water” (Mid.Pers. âb “water;” O. Pers. ap- “water;” Av. ap- “water;” cf. Skt. áp- “water;”
Hitt. happa- “water;” PIE āp-, ab- “water, river;”
cf. Gk. Apidanos, proper noun, a river in Thessalia; L. amnis “stream, river” (from *abnis); O.Ir. ab “river,” O.Prus. ape “stream,” Lith. upé “stream;” Latv. upe “brook”)

• kand, contraction of kandé, p.p. of kandan “to dig” (Mid.Pers. kandan “to dig;” O.Pers. kan- “to dig,” akaniya- “it was dug;” Av. kan- “to dig,” uskən- “to dig out” (→ ex- for prefix us-); cf. Skt. khan- “to dig,” khanati “he digs”).