Himalayas

American  

[him-uh-ley-uhz, hi-mahl-yuhz] / ˌhɪm əˈleɪ əz, hɪˈmɑl jəz /

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).

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Himalayas British  

/ 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)

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Himalayas Cultural  

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

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Discover More

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

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of Himalayas

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Himalayas

The Hutchinson Himalayas are a site to behold — a mile-long museum of municipal neglect.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2026

In the Himalayas, which span Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and China, the impact of a lake burst can be particularly destructive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

Significant groupings appear beneath the Himalayas in southern Asia and near the Bering Strait between Asia and North America, south of the Arctic Circle.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 20, 2026

The father-of-four was rushing to plaster the outside walls before returning to work in Riyadh, leaving his family and the snow-capped Himalayas on the horizon behind yet again.

From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026

Ice cream heaped as high as the Himalayas.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

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