Himalayan

1 of 2

adjective

Hi·​ma·​la·​yan ˌhi-mə-ˈlā-ən How to pronounce Himalayan (audio)
hi-ˈmäl-yən,
-ˈmä-lē-ən How to pronounce Himalayan (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling the Himalayas
2
: enormously large : mountainous
a task of Himalayan proportions

Himalayan

2 of 2

noun

: any of a breed of domestic cats developed by crossing the Persian and the Siamese and having the stocky build and long thick coat of the former and the blue eyes and coat patterns of the latter

Illustration of Himalayan

Illustration of himalayan

Examples of Himalayan in a Sentence

Adjective as military blunders go, the disastrous Pickett's Charge was of Himalayan proportions
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Autumn Schrader, 5, triumphantly carried her bright white cat named Super Nova, an 11-month-old Himalayan Persian, nearly the size of Autumn and dressed as a bunny rabbit, through the crowd after receiving the first-place ribbon. Nhat V. Meyer, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024 The author in front of the Himalayan Rescue Association clinic in Nepal. Brian Strickland, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2024 And India, which has been clashing with China along their Himalayan border, wants to make sure that the Maldives, its island neighbor, doesn’t become too cozy with Beijing. Maahil Mohamed Elke Scholiers, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Picture show Tanka Dhakal for NPR The Himalayan mountains are plagued by waste left by mountaineering activities over the years. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024 This exfoliant from Osea is specially made for dry skin, as its combination of Dead Sea and Himalayan pink salts work together to slough away your dead skin cells without irritating or breaking the skin. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 Now dozens are being repatriated to the Himalayan nation, part of a growing global effort to return such items to countries in Asia, Africa and elsewhere. Binaj Gurubacharya, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024 Now dozens are being repatriated to the Himalayan nation, part of a growing global effort to return such items to countries in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere. Binaj Gurubacharya, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Feb. 2024 Lounging by the beach is certainly relaxing, but for the friend group that likes to indulge, the Salt Spa St. Augustine offers a variety of massages and other luxurious treatments using Polish and Himalayan Crystal Salt. Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Himalayan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Himalayan was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near Himalayan

Cite this Entry

“Himalayan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Himalayan. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Himalayan

1 of 2 adjective
Hi·​ma·​la·​yan ˌhim-ə-ˈlā-ən How to pronounce Himalayan (audio) him-ˈäl-(ə-)yən How to pronounce Himalayan (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Himalaya Mountains

Himalayan

2 of 2 noun
: any of a breed of stocky blue-eyed domestic cats that have a long thick coat and a pale body with darker ears, paws, tail, and face

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