mountainous

adjective

moun·​tain·​ous ˈmau̇n-tə-nəs How to pronounce mountainous (audio)
ˈmau̇nt-nəs
1
: containing many mountains
2
: resembling a mountain : huge
mountainously adverb
mountainousness noun

Examples of mountainous in a Sentence

the seemingly mountainous obstacles he had to overcome while growing up
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For nearly four decades, Armenia and Azerbaijan have skirmished with each other, primarily over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region that both countries claim. Mark Temnycky, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 In a small region of the mountainous forests in Brazil, the peaks meet the clouds and humidity fills the air. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025 Cedar, a wood that’s native to the Himalayas but grows in mountainous regions across the globe from North Africa to Virginia, produces an oil that noses commonly use in men’s fragrances. Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2025 The area is a vast, rural, mountainous tract of forests with a political ethos that resembles Texas more than Los Angeles, San Francisco, the state capital of Sacramento, and other liberal Democratic environs. David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mountainous

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mounteynous, borrowed from Anglo-French muntaignus, from muntaigne, mountaigne mountain + -us -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mountainous was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mountainous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountainous. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

mountainous

adjective
moun·​tain·​ous ˈmau̇nt-ᵊn-əs How to pronounce mountainous (audio)
-nəs
1
: having many mountains
2
: resembling a mountain : huge

More from Merriam-Webster on mountainous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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