Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

butte

1 American  
[byoot] / byut /

noun

Western U.S. and Canada.

  1. an isolated hill or mountain rising abruptly above the surrounding land.

Butte 2 American  
[byoot] / byut /

noun

  1. a city in SW Montana: mining center.

butte British  
/ bjuːt /

noun

  1. an isolated steep-sided flat-topped hill

"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
butte Scientific  
/ byo̅o̅t /

  1. A steep-sided hill with a flat top, often standing alone in an otherwise flat area. A butte is smaller than a mesa.

Etymology

Origin of butte

1650–60, < North American French; French: low hill, mound, Old French: landmark, target, apparently feminine derivative of but butt 2

Explanation

A butte is a flat-topped hill that stands alone in a relatively flat area. There are many buttes in the Southwest and Western United States. The dramatic hills in the background of old Western films are often buttes — the director John Ford featured Arizona's Mitten Buttes in seven of his movies. Geographers distinguish between a butte and a mesa, a larger, flat-topped hill: a butte's top is narrower than it is tall, and a mesa's is wider than its height. The explorers Lewis and Clark are responsible for introducing this French word to English speakers.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing butte

Geological Features

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Physical Geography - Middle School

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The United States

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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.

A flat, shady trail transitions to steep switchbacks through meadows and wildflowers approaching the top of the butte and ridge, all leading to the newly restored fire lookout.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 26, 2023

But the one discovered by Saildrone more closely resembles a butte like those found in the deserts of the Southwest.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2023

I left early, skipping breakfast to trek along the butte toward the Piz Boè.

From Washington Post • Aug. 26, 2022

An Oregon butte unfortunately titled “Swastika Mountain” will be getting a new name in the near future.

From Washington Times • Aug. 24, 2022

Small, rudely fashioned models of farmhouses and farmyards covered the top of the butte.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.