Appalachian

[ap-uh-ley-chuhn, -ley-chee-uhn, -lach-ee-uhn, lach-uhn]

adjective

1. of or relating to the Appalachian Mountains.

2. of or relating to the region of Appalachia, its inhabitants, or their culture.

3. Geology.,  of or relating to the orogeny and accompanying intrusion that occurred in eastern North America during the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods.

noun

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Appalachian¹

First recorded in 1670–80; from Spanish Apalchen, Apalachen, perhaps from Apalachee (an extinct Muskogean language) abalahci “other side of the river” or from Hitchiti (an extinct Muskogean language) apalwahči “dwelling on one side”; the Spanish transcription of the name of a Muskogean village near Tallahassee in the Florida panhandle, recorded on the expedition led by Pánfilo de Narváez (1478?–1528), later altered by the Spanish to Apalachee and applied to the Indian tribe, the surrounding area and the hinterland north to the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains

Example Sentences

In the rugged Appalachian hills of West Virginia, five hours west of the nation’s capital, fierce community bonds and family ties define life.

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These findings show that the Five Great Forests are closely tied to forest regions in the Appalachians, the Mississippi Delta, the Great Lakes, New England, and the landscapes surrounding New York City.

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I would especially worry about him during rainstorms, when the hairpin turns of the Appalachians became slick with water, and during the winter, when the roads could turn treacherous.

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“The Appalachian Basin contains an abundant, low-cost dry gas supply but faces severe pipeline bottlenecks that limit the flow of gas to high-demand markets.”

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The couple shared a love of nature, and before they were married, spent months hiking and camping together along the Appalachian Trail.

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