butte

noun

Synonyms of buttenext
: an isolated hill or mountain with steep or precipitous sides usually having a smaller summit area than a mesa

Examples of butte in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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As Arizona yielded to New Mexico, the dirt seemed to get redder and the ridges rose to form buttes. Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026 This sea of sharp buttes and sky-high pinnacles offers numerous west-facing vantage points. Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 1 Mar. 2026 Hike through the poppies on a short series of moderate trails that run just a few miles in length, affording views of the poppy fields and surrounding buttes. Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026 Deputies quickly responded to the scene near the Cathedral Rock butte located outside Sedona, Ariz. After authorities confirmed the crash, deputies learned that the two passengers — a husband and wife — went completely unharmed and walked away on their own from the scene of the crash. Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for butte

Word History

Etymology

French, knoll, from Middle French bute

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of butte was in 1805

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Butte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butte. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

butte

noun
: a hill with steep sides standing in a flat area

Geographical Definition

Butte

geographical name

city in southwestern Montana on a plateau in the Rockies population 32,996

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