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Appalachian

American  
[ap-uh-ley-chuhn, -ley-chee-uhn, -lach-ee-uhn, lach-uhn] / ˌæp əˈleɪ tʃən, -ˈleɪ tʃi ən, -ˈlætʃ i ən, ˈlætʃ ən /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the Appalachian Mountains.

  2. of or relating to the region of Appalachia, its inhabitants, or their culture.

  3. Geology. of or relating to the orogeny and accompanying intrusion that occurred in eastern North America during the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods.


noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Appalachia, especially one of predominantly Scotch-Irish, English, or German ancestry who exemplifies the characteristic cultural traditions of this region.

appalachian British  
/ ˌæpəˈleɪtʃɪən /

adjective

  1. of, from, or relating to the Appalachian Mountains

  2. geology of or relating to an episode of mountain building in the late Palaeozoic era during which the Appalachian Mountains were formed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Appalachian

First recorded in 1670–80; from Spanish Apalchen, Apalachen, perhaps from Apalachee (an extinct Muskogean language) abalahci “other side of the river” or from Hitchiti (an extinct Muskogean language) apalwahči “dwelling on one side”; the Spanish transcription of the name of a Muskogean village near Tallahassee in the Florida panhandle, recorded on the expedition led by Pánfilo de Narváez (1478?–1528), later altered by the Spanish to Apalachee and applied to the Indian tribe, the surrounding area and the hinterland north to the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

But he might be more fired up about selling his sailboat and using the money to buy undeveloped property in the hinterlands of Appalachian Tennessee.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 4, 2026

East Tennessee's water-powered Old Mill first began grinding cornmeal back in 1830 in the deep Appalachian region along the Little Pigeon River.

From Barron's Sep. 3, 2026

Parton, who died this week aged 80, launched the philanthropic effort in 1995 to honour her father - whose difficult Appalachian upbringing never allowed him to finish school or learn to read and write.

From BBC Aug. 29, 2026

Rooted in authenticity, service and philanthropy, they’re honoring Appalachian culture by forging iron and blowing glass in their Craftsman’s Valley, while inviting you in to do the same.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 26, 2026

In its 283 miles, the Appalachian Trail in Maine presents the northbound hiker with almost 100,000 feet of climb, the equivalent of three Everests.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

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