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

See Examples For:

Appalachia

A middle belt, which he terms "Greater Appalachia", was first settled by independent-minded Scots and Irish.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

The other stretches east to the West Virginia border, taking in a slice of Appalachia.

From Slate ● May 19, 2026

“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

Beyond Sanders, who most recently held rallies in West Virginia in 2025, Andy Beshear has been one of few Democrats of national stature to consistently engage on issues facing Appalachia and rural America.

From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2026

So why was Appalachia the way it was?

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell