mount

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈmau̇nt 

1

: a high hill : mountain

—used especially before an identifying name

Mount Everest

2

archaic : earthwork sense 1

3

: mound sense 1a(1)

mount

2 of 3

verb

mounted; mounting; mounts

intransitive verb

1

: rise, ascend

… the smoke mounting straight into the air from every farm and cottage.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

2

: to increase in amount or extent

expenses began to mount

3

: to get up on something above the level of the ground

especially : to seat oneself (as on a horse) for riding

transitive verb

1

a

: to go up : climb

mounted the stairs/ladder

b(1)

: to seat or place oneself on

mounting their horses

mounted the stage

(2)

: to climb on top of for copulation

2

a

: to lift up : raise

b(1)

: to put or have in position

mount artillery

(2)

: to have as equipment

c(1)

: to organize and equip (an attacking force)

mount an army

(2)

: to launch and carry out (something, such as an assault or a campaign)

mount an attack

mounting a serious challenge in the election

3

: to set on something that elevates

The birdhouse was mounted on a pole.

4

a

: to cause to get on a means of conveyance

b

: to furnish with animals for riding

5

: to post or set up for defense or observation

mounted some guards

6

a

: to attach to a support

mounted a diamond in the ring

The airplane's engines are mounted on the wings.

b

: to arrange or assemble for use or display

mounting photographs on the wall

7

a

: to prepare (something, such as a specimen) for examination or display

b

: to prepare and supply with materials needed for performance or execution

mount an exhibition of her paintings

mountable

ˈmau̇n-tə-bəl 

adjective

mounter noun

mount

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: an act or instance of mounting

specifically : an opportunity to ride a horse in a race

2

: frame, support: such as

a

: the material (such as cardboard) on which a picture is mounted

b

: a jewelry setting

c(1)

: an undercarriage or part on which a device (such as a motor or an artillery piece) rests in service

(2)

: an attachment for an accessory

d

: a hinge, card, or acetate envelope for mounting a stamp

e

: a glass slide with its accessories on which objects are placed for examination with a microscope

3

: a means of conveyance

especially, old-fashioned : saddle horse

Synonyms of mount

Noun (1)

• mountain

Verb

• increase
• rise
• accelerate
• climb
• expand
• swell

Noun (2)

• mounting
• support
• shore
• brace
• pillar
• reinforcement
• prop

Examples of mount in a Sentence

Noun (1)

Mount Everest

Verb

Their troubles have continued to mount.

The pressure mounted as the crisis continued.

The cowboy mounted his horse and then quickly dismounted.

She mounted her bicycle and rode away.

Noun (2)

hammered together a mount for the cameras

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Aggarwal chose simple black metal flush-mount ceiling lights to use throughout her house—each about $25 from Ferguson Home. —Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2025

Rispoli could have as many as five other Breeders’ Cup mounts, though apart from Johannes in the Mile, all will be long shots. —Jay Posner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025

Verb

In 2018, the Morgan Library & Museum was mounting a major Hujar exhibition, prompting Rosenkrantz to donate her transcript to the institution, which holds his collections. —Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025

Meanwhile, the shutdown impacts are mounting as SNAP funding ran dry over the weekend and flights are delayed around the country amid air traffic controller shortages. —Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English munt, mont, mount, in part going back to Old English munt, borrowed from Latin mont-, mons; in part borrowed from Anglo-French munt, mount (continental Old French mon, mont), going back to Latin mont-, mons "mountain, hill, towering heap, pile," derivative, with the suffix *-ti-, of Indo-European *mon- "elevation, height," whence also, from a base *monii̯o-, Welsh mynydd "mountain," Old Cornish menit (Cornish meneth), Old Breton monid (Breton menez)

Note: Also cited as comparable forms are Avestan maiti- "mountain" (hapax legomenon—see C. Bartholomae, Altiranisches Wörterbuch, 1112-13) and Old Icelandic mønir "ridge of a roof." The etymon *mon- is usually taken to be o-grade ablaut of the verbal base *men- (or *min-) seen in Latin minae "threats" and ēminēre "to stick out, protrude" (see minatory, mouth entry 1).

Verb

Middle English mounten, monten "to rise up, ascend, get up onto (a horse), add up (to)," borrowed from Anglo-French monter, munter (transitive) "to climb (something), get up onto (a horse), add up to, set up, prepare," (intransitive) "to go upward, get on horseback, go up in the world, rise in intensity" (also continental Old & Middle French), going back to Vulgar Latin *montāre, derivative of Latin mont-, mons "mountain, hill" — more at mount entry 1

Noun (2)

derivative of mount entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mount

• count
• fount
• account
• amount
• discount
• dismount
• recount
• remount
• seamount
• surmount
• rediscount
• subaccount

Kids Definition

mount

1 of 3 noun

ˈmau̇nt 

: mountain

—used especially before an identifying name

Mount Everest

mount

2 of 3 verb

1

a

: rise entry 1 sense 5a, ascend

b

: to go up : climb

mount a ladder

2

: to get up onto something

mount a platform

3

: to furnish with riding animals or vehicles

mounted infantry

4

: to increase rapidly in amount

mounting debts

5

: to prepare for use, examination, or display especially by fastening in position on a support

mount a picture on cardboard

mount a specimen

6

: to furnish with scenery and costumes : stage

7

: to place in position for the purpose of defense or observation

mounted some guards

mount

3 of 3 noun

1

: frame, support: as

a

: a jewelry setting

b

: a glass slide on which objects are placed for examination under a microscope

2

: saddle horse

Etymology

Noun

from Old English munt and early French mont, both meaning "mount" and both from Latin mont-, mons (same meaning)

Verb

Middle English mounten "to increase, rise," from early French monter (same meaning), derived from Latin mont-, mons "hill, mount"

Medical Definition

mount

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈmau̇nt 

: to prepare for examination or display

specifically : to place (an object) on a slide for microscopic examination

mount a specimen

mount

2 of 2 noun

1

: a glass slide with its accessories on which objects are placed for examination with a microscope

2

: a specimen mounted on a slide for microscopic examination