foothill

American  

[foot-hil] / ˈfʊtˌhɪl /

noun

1. a low hill at the base of a mountain or mountain range.

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foothill British  

/ ˈfʊtˌhɪl /

noun

1. (often plural) a lower slope of a mountain or a relatively low hill at the foot of a mountain

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Etymology

Origin of foothill

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; foot + hill

Example Sentences

Born into crushing poverty in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, her father paid the doctor who delivered her with a sack of cornmeal.

From Salon

As Los Padres National Forest spokesman Andrew Madsen warned, “the foothills of Santa Barbara are especially fragile and hiking is especially precarious in the aftermath of heavy rains.”

From Los Angeles Times

Less than a year after watching flames raze his home in the Altadena foothills, Ted Koerner has moved into a brand new house, one of the first to rebuild in this Los Angeles suburb.

From Barron's

The weekend storm is expected to bring 1 to 3 inches of rain to coast and valley areas and 3 to 6 inches to the foothills and mountains.

From Los Angeles Times

Rainfall totals are expected to range from about three-quarters of an inch to 2.5 inches in coastal and valley areas, with 2 to 5.5 inches possible in foothill and mountain communities.

From Los Angeles Times