definitions

Appalachian

[ ap-uh-ley-chee-uh n, -chuh n, -lach-ee-uh n, lach-uh n ]
/ ˌæp əˈleɪ tʃi ən, -tʃən, -ˈlætʃ i ən, ˈlætʃ ən /
|

adjective

of or relating to the Appalachian Mountains.
of or relating to the region of Appalachia, its inhabitants, or their culture.
Geology. of or relating to the orogeny and accompanying intrusion that occurred in eastern North America during the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods.

noun

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.

RELATED CONTENT

Why Is The Name Jack Used In So Many Fairy Tales?Doesn’t it seem like a disproportionate number of fairy tales contain a hero named Jack? Is this just a coincidence?
READ MORE

Definition for appalachian (2 of 2)

Appalachian Mountains

plural noun

a mountain range in E North America, extending from S Quebec province to N Alabama. Highest peak, Mt. Mitchell, 6684 feet (2037 meters).
Also called Ap·pa·la·chi·ans.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for appalachian

British Dictionary definitions for appalachian (1 of 2)

Appalachian

/ (ˌæpəˈleɪtʃɪən) /

adjective

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

British Dictionary definitions for appalachian (2 of 2)

Appalachian Mountains

Appalachians

pl n

a mountain system of E North America, extending from Quebec province in Canada to central Alabama in the US: contains rich deposits of anthracite, bitumen, and iron ore. Highest peak: Mount Mitchell, 2038 m (6684 ft)
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

Word Origin and History for appalachian

Appalachian

in reference to the North American mountain range, c.1600, Mountaynes Apalatsi; written apalachen by Spanish explorers and originally in reference only to the southern end of the range. Originally the name of the Apalachee, a Muskogean people of northwestern Florida, perhaps from Apalachee abalahci "other side of the river" or Hitchiti (Muskogean) apalwahči "dwelling on one side." Spelling shifted under influence of adjectives in -ian.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Culture definitions for appalachian

Appalachian Mountains

[ (ap-uh-lay-chuhn, ap-uh-lach-uhn) ]

Mountain chain in the eastern United States, extending from the valley of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, to the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama.

Note

Location of the Appalachian Trail, the world's longest continuous hiking path. It extends over two thousand miles from Maine to Georgia.

Note

Historically, the Appalachian Mountains were a barrier to early western expansion. In the early 1840s, railroads began to transport settlers across the mountains, permitting access to the frontier.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.