Appalachia

American  

[ap-uh-ley-chuh, -ley-chee-uh, -lach-ee-uh, -lach-uh] / ˌæp əˈleɪ tʃə, -ˈleɪ tʃi ə, -ˈlætʃ i ə, -ˈlætʃ ə /

noun

1. a region in the eastern United States, in the area of the southern Appalachian Mountains, usually including northeastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, western Pennsylvania, and eastern Ohio.

2. Geology. a Paleozoic landmass, the erosion of which provided the sediments to form the rocks of the Appalachian Mountains.

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Appalachia British  

/ ˌæpəˈleɪtʃɪə /

noun

1. a highland region of the eastern US, containing the Appalachian Mountains, extending from Pennsylvania to Alabama

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Appalachia Cultural  

1. A mountainous region in the eastern United States, running from northern Alabama to Pennsylvania, and including parts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and all of West Virginia.

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Discover More

A major coal-mining center and one of the most impoverished regions of the country.

Etymology

Origin of Appalachia

First recorded in 1920–25; back formation from Appalachian ( def. )

Example Sentences

“In the Fields of Fatherless Children,” the second novel from Appalachia native and “Greasewood Creek” author Pamela Steele, is neither about nor set in the Vietnam War.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

But what most struck the audience was how he spoke of his ongoing commitment to Appalachia, and the place its people occupied in his Rainbow Coalition.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

The company will be a dominant player in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico, and have significant stakes in Oklahoma and Appalachia.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

The cold spell upends what had actually been a tepid winter, which along with rising Appalachia and Permian gas production, has driven what’s still a 32% decline in natural gas prices from their December peak.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 20, 2026

So why was Appalachia the way it was?

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell