terrain

noun

ter·​rain tə-ˈrān 

 also  te-

1

a(1)

: a geographic area

(2)

: a piece of land : ground

b

: the physical features of a tract of land

2

: terrane sense 1

3

a

: a field of knowledge or interest

b

: environment, milieu

Synonyms

• area
• realm
• element
• field
• domain
• walk
• department
• sphere
• kingdom

Examples of terrain in a Sentence

We had to drive over some rough terrain.

We hiked through a variety of terrains.

Recent Examples on the Web

In just a matter of hours, damaging winds and record-breaking flooding started to devastate many areas, especially the higher terrains of the southeastern Appalachians. —Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025

Riding from Charlotte and traversing through the mountainous terrain of the western part of North Carolina, the gravity of it all wasn’t lost on Grant Williams. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Sep. 2025

My runs take me up and down terrain, and there was very little movement to speak of. —Jenifer Calle, Glamour, 26 Sep. 2025

Winds will continue to weaken later in the afternoon, while flooding across the high terrain in the Central Azores is also expected to subside. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, land, ground, from Old French terrein, from Vulgar Latin *terranum, alteration of Latin terrenum, from neuter of terrenus of earth — more at terrene

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing terrain

• all-terrain vehicle

Rhymes for terrain

• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• blockchain
• butane
• campaign

Kids Definition

terrain

noun

ter·​rain tə-ˈrān 

 also  te-

: the surface features of an area of land

rough terrain