Olympic Valley

Olymp·ic Val·ley
UK/əˌlɪmpɪk ˈvæli/US/oʊ-/

proper noun

A valley formed by the river Alpheus, Ilia, Greece, site of Olympia.

Meanings

Olympic Valley1

proper noun
  1. A valley formed by the river Alpheus, Ilia, Greece, site of Olympia.

    Synonyms: Alfeios Valley, Alpheus Valley

Olympic Valley2

proper noun
  1. An unincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States.

    Julia Mancuso (10), who grew up in Olympic Valley, and Lindsey Vonn celebrate their downhill medals.

    2010 February 10, Craig Hill, “A sparkling achievement: Vonn, Olympic Valley’s Mancuso finish 1-2 in women’s downhill”, in The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, Calif.: McClatchy Newspapers, sourced from The Tacoma News Tribune, →ISSN, →OCLC, image caption, page C1, column 2
    2 more examples

    The Eighth Olympic Winter Games, which start Feb. 18 in California's "Olympic Valley," will be marked by a 4-cent commemorative stamp which features the five entwined circles, Olympic symbol, and a snow crystal which fixes the time of the year. […] The stamp will have its first-day ceremony at the "Olympic Valley, California" postal station, set up especially by the Tahoe City Post Office at the site of the games to accommodate athletes and visitors.

    1960 January 6, George Patterson, “The Stamp Window”, in Paterson Evening News, Paterson, N.J.: News Printing Co., →OCLC, page 11

    [page 734] The centerpiece of Olympic Valley is the Village at Squaw Valley […] a pedestrian mall at the base of several four-story ersatz-Bavarian-style stone-and-timber buildings, where you’ll find restaurants, high-end condo rentals, boutiques, and cafés. […] [page 735] The best restaurant at Olympic Valley is also the finest in the entire Tahoe Basin, the epitome of discreet chic and a must-visit for all serious foodies.

    2007, “Lake Tahoe”, in Carissa Bluestone, Amanda Theunissen, Paul Eisenberg, Michael Nalepa, William Travis, editors, Fodor’s 07: California (Fodor’s California), New York, N.Y.: Fodor’s Travel Publications, →ISBN, →ISSN, pages 734–735

    Synonyms: Squaw Valley

  2. optionally with theA valley in the Sierra Nevada, Placer County, California, United States, named after this community.

    Just about everyone knows the mountains, lifts, snow and sunshine combine above the Olympic Valley to create ideal conditions for skiing and snowboarding.

    2002 December 1, Ryan Randazzo, “Resort’s president exemplifies what’s right with Squaw”, in Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno, Nev.: Reno Newspapers, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 7E, column 2
    2 more examples

    To go to Squaw Valley, instead of taking Route 267 continue on around the lake a bit to Tahoe City and pick up Highway 89, which will enter the Olympic Valley.

    1994, Corey Sandler, “Four Fabulous Day Trips from Reno”, in Econoguide to Las Vegas, Stamford, Conn.: Longmeadow Press, →ISBN, part III (Reno, Virginia City, and Lake Tahoe), page 223

    Opponents say the development will double the population of Olympic Valley. They say 40% of the new traffic generated will travel into the basin, increasing the amount of sediment transported to the lake and raising nitrate emissions—two major threats to Tahoe's world-renowned clarity.

    2021 July 24, Scott Sonner, “Critics bid to overturn approval of expansion”, in The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, Calif.: McClatchy Newspapers, sourced from Associated Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3A, column 2

    Synonyms: Squaw Valley

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounA valley formed by the river Alpheus, Ilia, Greece, site of Olympia.

proper nounAn unincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States.

proper nounA valley in the Sierra Nevada, Placer County, California, United States, named after this community.

Origin

Olympic Valley · proper noun

From Olympic + valley, referring to Olympia, in the valley of the Alfeiós River in Greece, where the Ancient Olympic Games were held.

Full word history & related roots →

Olympic Valley · proper noun

From Olympic + valley, referring to the 1960 Winter Olympics which were held there. The term was coined by the United States congressman from California Bernice Frederic Sisk (1910–1995) in 1958, to distinguish up-and-coming Squaw Valley in Placer County from the more established community of Squaw Valley in Fresno County, which he represented in Congress. Based on this recommendation, the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) decided on August 28, 1958, that Squaw Valley would only refer to the community in Fresno County. This name later gained popularity as an alternative to Fresno's Squaw Valley as the pejorative sense of squaw became more widely recognized. In September 2022, the BGN officially renamed the valley.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian Олимпик Вали
  • Олимпик Вали (Olimpik Vali)unincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
Finnish Olympian laakso, Olympic Valley
  • Olympian laaksovalley formed by the river Alpheus, Ilia, Greece, site of Olympia
  • Olympic Valleyunincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
  • Olympic Valleyvalley in the Sierra Nevada, Placer County, California, United States
Japanese オリンピックバレー
  • オリンピックバレー (Orinpikkubarē)unincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
Korean 올림픽밸리
  • 올림픽밸리 (Ollimpikbaelli)unincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
Lithuanian Olimpik Valis
  • Olimpik Valisunincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
Persian المپیک ولی
  • المپیک ولیunincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
Russian Олимпик-Вэлли
  • Олимпик-Вэлли (Olimpik-Vɛlli)unincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
Ukrainian Олімпік-Веллі
  • Олімпік-Веллі (Olimpik-Velli)unincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States
Urdu اسکوا ویلی، پلیسر کاؤنٹی، کیلیفورنیا
  • اسکوا ویلی، پلیسر کاؤنٹی، کیلیفورنیاunincorporated community in Placer County, California, United States

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with Olympic Valley

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

Olympic Valley. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Olympic%20Valley

MLA

“Olympic Valley.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Olympic%20Valley. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Olympic Valley,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Olympic%20Valley.

Source: Olympic Valley on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.