mountain

noun

moun·​tain ˈmau̇n-tᵊn How to pronounce mountain (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: a landmass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill
The sun set behind the mountains.
b
: an elongated ridge
2
a
: a great mass
a mountain of a manE. K. Brown
b
: a vast number or quantity
a mountain of mail
a mountain of debt

Examples of mountain in a Sentence

She watched the sun set behind the mountains. a cabin in the mountains They both like mountain climbing. We've received a mountain of mail.
Recent Examples on the Web One mountain climber has died and another has been seriously injured after falling approximately 1,000 feet off of a mountain in Denali National Park in Alaska, authorities say. Jon Haworth, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2024 Rooms and suites with lots of tropical touches offer garden, mountain, or ocean views, and the hotel’s restaurants serve dishes made with sustainably sourced ingredients from local vendors. Beth Luberecki, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mountain 

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English montaine, monteine, mounteyne, borrowed from Anglo-French muntaine, monteigne, mountaigne "elevated region, mountain range, mountain" (also continental Old French, Middle French montagne), going back to Vulgar Latin *montānea, from Latin mont-, mons "mountain, hill" + Vulgar Latin *-ānea, collective suffix, from neuter plural of Latin -āneus (from -ānus -an entry 2 + -eus -eous) — more at mount entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mountain was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near mountain

Cite this Entry

“Mountain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountain. Accessed 4 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

mountain

noun
moun·​tain ˈmau̇nt-ᵊn How to pronounce mountain (audio)
1
: an elevation higher than a hill
2
: a great mass or huge number
a mountain of mail

More from Merriam-Webster on mountain

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