promontory

prom·on·to·ry

noun \ˈprä-mən-ˌtȯr-ē\

plural prom·on·to·ries

Definition of PROMONTORY

1

a : a high point of land or rock projecting into a body of water b : a prominent mass of land overlooking or projecting into a lowland

2

: a bodily prominence

Examples of PROMONTORY

1. <stood on the windswept promontory overlooking the bay>
2. <Cape May is Delaware Bay's largest promontory.>

Origin of PROMONTORY

Latin promunturium, promonturium; probably akin to prominēre to jut forth — more at prominent

First Known Use: 1548

Related to PROMONTORY

Synonyms: ness, point, headland

Related Words: cape, foreland, peninsula, spit; breakwater, jetty, levee

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with PROMONTORY

a priori, allegory, amatory, auditory, bedtime story, cacciatore, castratory, category, con amore, cover story, crematory, damnatory, decretory, dilatory, dormitory, excretory, expletory, feudatory, fumitory, Göteborg, gustatory, gyratory, horror story, hortatory, hunky-dory, inventory, laudatory, lavatory, mandatory, migratory, minatory, monitory, Montessori, morning glory, nugatory, offertory, oratory, overstory, piscatory, precatory, predatory, prefatory, probatory, promissory, purgatory, repertory, Ruwenzori, signatory, statutory, sudatory, territory, transitory, understory, vibratory, vomitory, yakitori