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

Its first phase started with more than 600 villages along India's 2,100-mile-long border with China, many high up in the forbidding Himalayan plateau. —Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 17 Feb. 2026

India and Beijing had summit-level engagement despite enduring border tensions along the Himalayan frontier. —Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026

Noun

In a remote part of Pakistan, villagers routinely take rickety cable cars across the canyons that cut through the Himalayan foothills. —Brent Lang, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026

Salt House Breathwork at Dwarika's Sanctuary, Nepal Set within 25 acres of natural forest amid the Himalayan peaks, this Nepalese sanctuary is the perfect place to find inner peace. —Lucy Shaw, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Jan. 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