 The word "canyon" is Spanish in origin ("cañón", ), with the same meaning.The word canyon is generally used in North America while the words "gorge" and "ravine" (French in origin) are used in Europe and Oceania, though "gorge" and "ravine" are also used in some parts of North America.In the United States, place names generally use "canyon" in the southwest (due to their proximity to Spanish-speaking Mexico) and "gorge" in the northeast (which is closer to French Canada), with the rest of the country graduating between these two according to geography.