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• mountain
  mountain

  noun

  a natural elevation of the earth's surface rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill, usually greater than 2,000 feet (610 meters).
• Mountain
  Mountain

  noun

  an extremist faction during the French Revolution led by Danton and Robespierre

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mountain

American  

[moun-tn] / ˈmaʊn tn /

noun

• mountains
  plural

1. a natural elevation of the earth's surface rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill, usually greater than 2,000 feet (610 meters).

2. a large mass of something resembling this, as in shape or size.

3. a huge amount.

   a mountain of incoming mail.

4. (initial capital letter) a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, eight driving wheels, and a two-wheeled rear truck.

5. Also called mountain wine. British Archaic. a sweet Malaga wine.

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adjective

1. of or relating to mountains.

   mountain air.

2. living, growing, or located in the mountains.

   mountain people.

3. resembling or suggesting a mountain, as in size.

idioms

1. make a mountain out of a molehill. molehill.

Mountain ¹ British  

/ ˈmaʊntɪn /

noun

1. an extremist faction during the French Revolution led by Danton and Robespierre

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mountain ² British  

/ ˈmaʊntɪn /

noun

1. 1. a natural upward projection of the earth's surface, higher and steeper than a hill and often having a rocky summit

   2. ( as modifier )

      mountain people

      mountain scenery

   3. ( in combination )

      a mountaintop

2. a huge heap or mass

   a mountain of papers

3. anything of great quantity or size

4. a surplus of a commodity, esp in the European Union

   the butter mountain

5. informal a serious or considerable difficulty or obstruction to overcome

6. See molehill

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mountain Scientific  

/ moun′tən /

1. A generally massive and usually steep-sided, raised portion of the Earth's surface. Mountains can occur as single peaks or as part of a long chain. They can form through volcanic activity, by erosion, or by uplift of the continental crust when two tectonic plates collide. The Himalayas, which are the highest mountains in the world, were formed when the plate carrying the landmass of India collided with the plate carrying the landmass of China.

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mountain More Idioms  

1. see if the mountain won't come to Muhammad; make a mountain out of a molehill.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undermountain
  noun
• mountainless
  adjective
• submountain
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mountains
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mountain

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English mountaine, from Old French montaigne, from Vulgar Latin montānea (unrecorded), noun use of feminine of montāneus (unrecorded), from Latin montān(us) “mountainous” (from mont-, stem of mōns “hill, mountain” + -ānus -an ) + -eus, adjective suffix

Explanation

A mountain is a large and often steep landmass that's much higher than the surrounding area. It's not to be confused with a molehill. The word mountain has been around since the 1200s. A mountain is much larger than an average hill; it's a mass of land that rises up to 2000 feet or so. Mountain does not always describe a land mass. It can also be used to refer to an undertaking, a pile of something, or even a large dose of trouble. You might have a mountain of mashed potatoes you don't want to eat, or a mountain of homework.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mountain Mountain mountains

The August 26 flood, triggered by a glacial mountain collapse near the China-Nepal border, has killed more than 1,400 people, the majority in Nepal.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

Aircrew are also trained there for mountain and maritime operations, and it is also home to the Mountain Rescue Service.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Researchers encountered the snails at several locations while working in the region's rugged mountain terrain.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026

The move deals a blow to a grassroots coalition that included tribes, environmentalists and mountain bikers, some of whom have fought for decades to rein in logging at Jackson Demonstration State Forest in Mendocino County.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

We could be up a mountain or at a lakeside campground.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Aircrew are also trained there for mountain and maritime operations, and it is also home to the Mountain Rescue Service.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

The move to incentivize the use of public transit could broaden the appeal of Mountain View-based Waymo, which has been offering rides to the public in San Francisco since 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

But there’s one race that’s standing out, much as the likeness of an old man’s face once did on Cannon Mountain.

From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026

The Mountain School pioneered the high-school semester program in the 1980s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

‘Because I intend to make sure that you get to the Mountain of the World Spirit. If I didn’t make you, you wouldn’t even try. You’d just turn tail and run. Because you’re a coward.’

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Los Angeles County uses a network of 27 spreading grounds, where artificial basins fill up when storms send torrents cascading down from the mountains into the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

There is also a custom barbecue palapa with views of the surrounding mountains.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

He grew up in a farmhouse in the mountains of West Virginia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

The light, arid climate and mountains sloping into the sea reminded her of Lebanon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

I looked out the window at the snowy mountains rolling along the horizon.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Related Words

• alp
• bluff
• butte
• cliff
• crag
• elevation
• eminence
• height
• mesa
• mount
• palisade
• peak
• pike
• precipice
• range
• ridge
• sierra
• tor
• volcano