cordillera

[ kawr-dl-yair-uh, -air-uh, kawr-dil-er-uh ]

/ ˌkɔr dlˈyɛər ə, -ˈɛər ə, kɔrˈdɪl ər ə /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cordillera ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a chain of mountains, usually the principal mountain system or mountain axis of a large landmass.

Nearby words

cordially, cordierite, cordiform, cordiform pelvis, cordiform uterus, cordillera, cordillera central, cordillera de talamanca, cordillera occidental, cordillera oriental, cordillera real

Origin of cordillera

1695–1705; < Spanish, derivative of cordilla, diminutive of cuerda string, mountain range (< Latin chorda); see cord

Related forms

cor·dil·le·ran, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cordillera

These four divisions do not include any territory west of the Cordillera range, except one part of the third division.
The Prehistoric World|E. A. Allen
Moreover, the passes in ascending the Andes and Cordillera can only be correctly imagined by experienced travellers.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
I hope it will be long before I forget this farewell view of the magnificent Cordillera fronting Chiloe.
A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World|Charles Darwin
As already mentioned, they live near the passes of the Cordillera and plunder all travellers.
At Home with the Patagonians|George Chaworth Musters

Indeed, he had supposed the passage of the Cordillera at that season impossible.
Famous Men and Great Events of the Nineteenth Century|Charles Morris

British Dictionary definitions for cordillera

cordillera

/ (ˌkɔːdɪlˈjɛərə) /

noun

a series of parallel ranges of mountains, esp in the northwestern US

Derived Forms

cordilleran, adjective

Word Origin for cordillera

C18: from Spanish, from cordilla, literally: a little cord, from cuerda mountain range, cord

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

Science definitions for cordillera

cordillera

[ kôr′dl-yâr′ə ]

A long and wide chain of mountains, especially the main mountain range of a large landmass. Cordilleras can include the valleys, basins, rivers, lakes, plains, and plateaus between parallel chains of a single mountain system, or they can consist solely of a string of connected mountain peaks.