alpine

1 of 2

noun

al·​pine ˈal-ˌpīn How to pronounce alpine (audio)
1
: a plant native to alpine or boreal regions that is often grown for ornament
2
capitalized : a person possessing Alpine physical characteristics

Alpine

2 of 2

adjective

1
often not capitalized : of, relating to, or resembling the Alps or any mountains
2
often not capitalized : of, relating to, or growing in the biogeographic zone including the elevated slopes above timberline
3
: of or relating to a group or physical type characterized by a broad head, stockiness, medium height, and brown hair or eyes
4
: of or relating to competitive ski events consisting of slalom and downhill racing compare nordic

Examples of alpine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The alpine village, just a 1.5-hour drive from Salzburg, is famous for its leisure activities: skiing and snowboarding in the winter; swimming, biking, and hiking in the summer; and riding the vintage Pinzgauer Lokalbahn train past majestic mountains in any season. Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024 Sawtooth Mountains: Destinations near the sleepy town of Stanley such as Red Fish, Pettit, and Stanley lakes are surrounded by trails that wind hikers through untouched alpine meadows that burst with an array of color through the end of summer. Krista Simmons and J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 TikTok and Instagram videos of her jumping and spinning on high alpine lakes have gone viral, and Ms. Kottlowski teaches her combination of winter mountaineering and ice skating as Learn to Skate Outside. Elaine Glusac, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2024 In a normal year, waiting until Fourth of July weekend ensures clear paths to most alpine lakes and campgrounds. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 will be the first winter edition of the games with athletes competing in sports like alpine skiing and snowboarding. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Missoula is about 140 miles from Glacier National Park, a popular summer vacation spot for its setting of mountain ranges along glaciers, alpine meadows, lakes, forests and waterfalls. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 The most exhilarating moment of the four-hour route, crossing a 50-foot monkey bridge with only a thin cable underfoot, comes right before the summit, when the panoramic views of the alpine landscape are at their best. Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 The celebration of Switzerland’s natural alpine beauty continues at the small-but-mighty spa, which offers treatments featuring Bellefontaine products made with ingredients from Swiss farms. Anna Haines, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Or so the folks in the frosty, Alpine regions of Europe will tell you. Doug MacCash, NOLA.com, 22 Nov. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alpine.' 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

Noun

circa 1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alpine was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near alpine

Cite this Entry

“Alpine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alpine. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

alpine

adjective
al·​pine ˈal-ˌpīn How to pronounce alpine (audio)
often capitalized
1
a
: of, relating to, or resembling mountains and especially the Alps
b
: of, relating to, or growing on upland slopes above the highest elevation where trees grow
2
capitalized : of or relating to competitive ski events consisting of slalom and downhill racing

Geographical Definition

Alpine

geographical name

Al·​pine ˈal-ˌpīn How to pronounce Alpine (audio)
city in a mountainous region of western Texas population 5905

More from Merriam-Webster on alpine

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