Himalayas

[him-uh-ley-uhz, hi-mahl-yuhz]

plural noun

1. the Himalayas, a mountain range extending about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) along the border between India and Tibet. Highest peak, Mt. Everest, 29,028 feet (8,848 meters).

Himalayas

/ hɪˈmɑːljəz, ˌhɪməˈleɪəz /

plural noun

1. a vast mountain system in S Asia, extending 2400 km (1500 miles) from Kashmir (west) to Assam (east), between the valleys of the Rivers Indus and Brahmaputra: covers most of Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and the S edge of Tibet; the highest range in the world, with several peaks over 7500 m (25 000 ft). Highest peak: Mount Everest, 8848 m (29 028 ft)

Himalayas

1. Mountain range in Asia, extending east through Pakistan, India, China (Tibet), Nepal, and Bhutan.

The Himalayas contain the world's highest mountains, including Mount Everest.

Other Word Forms

• Himalayan adjective
• sub-Himalayan adjective
• trans-Himalayan adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Himalayas¹

First recorded in 1835–40; from Sanskrit Himālaya, equivalent to hima “snow” + ālaya “dwelling, abode” + -s ³ ( def. )

Related Words

• sierra