Himalayan

1 of 2

adjective

Hi·​ma·​la·​yan ˌhi-mə-ˈlā-ən 

hi-ˈmäl-yən, 

-ˈmä-lē-ən 

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

Synonyms of Himalayan

Adjective

• giant
• vast
• huge
• gigantic
• mammoth
• enormous
• mountainous
• tremendous
• colossal
• massive
• astronomical
• immense
• monumental
• bumper
• oceanic
• mighty
• monster
• cosmic
• titanic

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

Adjective

Yes, more important than the new Himalayan adventure bike and maybe even the parallel-twin motos. — New Atlas, 15 Apr. 2026

Part of the great Alpine-Himalayan mountain system, the Zagros are made up of highly folded and broken rocks that formed over the past 60 million years from the collisions of Africa, Arabia and India with Eurasia. — Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026

Noun

The blend of cotton and Himalayan cashmere feels as if the threads are whipped into a fluffy weave that still feels soft and substantial. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 June 2026

Executive chef Anand Singh, born in the Himalayan foothills and trained across six countries, runs a menu that moves between Indian live-fire cooking traditions and influences from Japan, China and Thailand. — Winston Ross, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Himalayan

• layin
• rayon
• malayan
• nuclein
• verstehen

Kids Definition

Himalayan

1 of 2 adjective

Hi·​ma·​la·​yan ˌhim-ə-ˈlā-ən  him-ˈäl-(ə-)yən 

: 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