1
: a principal mountain mass
2
: a block of the earth's crust bounded by faults or flexures and displaced as a unit without internal change
Examples of massif in a Sentence
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For more extreme terrain, consider a heli-ski excursion to a remote peak like the Monte Rossa massif (from $1,470) or complete the bucket-list Haute Route and ski tour between Zermatt and Chamonix ($1,980 for a six-day trip).
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Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
The Ortler massif, part of the Italian Alps close to the Swiss border, is a popular destination for experienced hikers and climbers.
—CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
The rugged, zigzagging massif is the result of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates about 100 million years ago and later massive glacial activity in the Pleistocene epoch.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Heard Island is 80 percent covered by ice and features a large massif, or compact group of mountains, called Big Ben that has an active volcano called Mawson Peak at its summit.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025
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Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
The Ortler massif, part of the Italian Alps close to the Swiss border, is a popular destination for experienced hikers and climbers.
—CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
The rugged, zigzagging massif is the result of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates about 100 million years ago and later massive glacial activity in the Pleistocene epoch.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Heard Island is 80 percent covered by ice and features a large massif, or compact group of mountains, called Big Ben that has an active volcano called Mawson Peak at its summit.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for massif
Cite this Entry
“Massif.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/massif. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.
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