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Definition of vaal
vaal
/vɑːl/
Vaal
vaal Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
South African A major river in South Africa that acts as the largest tributary of the Orange River, flowing westwards to form the border between the Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West, and Free State provinces.
Example
"The Vaal provides much of the water necessary to sustain the industrial and mining heartland of Gauteng."
Word Nuance & Usage
Almost exclusively capitalized as a proper noun in English, referring to the Vaal River or the surrounding Vaal Triangle region in South Africa.
• Rhymes for vaal
Word Origin & Etymology
From Afrikaans 'vaal' (pale, dun, or greyish-brown), deriving from Dutch 'vaal', which is cognate with the English word 'fallow'. It originally referenced the muddy, grey-brown color of the Vaal River during flood season.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Vaal. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/vaal