Rocky Mountains

American  

[rok-ee moun-tnz] / ˈrɒk i ˈmaʊn tnz /

plural noun

1. the chief mountain system in North America, extending from central New Mexico to northern Alaska. Highest peak, Denali, 20,300 feet (6,187 meters).

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Rocky Mountains British  

plural noun

1. the chief mountain system of W North America, extending from British Columbia to New Mexico: forms the Continental Divide. Highest peak: Mount Elbert, 4399 m (14 431 ft). Mount McKinley (6194 m (20 320 ft)), in the Alaska Range, is not strictly part of the Rocky Mountains

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Rocky Mountains Cultural  

1. Major mountain chain of western North America, running from Alaska to Mexico.

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Etymology

Origin of Rocky Mountains

First recorded in 1800–05; translation of Canadian French les Montagnes des Roches, from Cree asini˙waciya, plural of asini˙waciy, equivalent to asini˙-, combining form of asiniy “stone, rock” + waciy “mountain,” originally referring to the Canadian Rockies

Example Sentences

From the Rocky Mountains west to California and into Western Canada, record numbers of resorts closed early this season.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

Many refused to speak to the media on Friday, noting that the presence of journalists in their otherwise quiet town in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains has been overwhelming.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

The remainder will be split among new regions, namely the Southeast, as well as Texas, the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest, Barton said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

Many areas, from the Sierra Nevada to the Rocky Mountains, have experienced record or near-record high temperatures since November.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2026

It is true, for example, that racial incidents, followed by calls for tolerance and understanding, are a more-or-less permanent feature of the American landscape, durable as the Rocky Mountains, familiar as the Mississippi River.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• sierra