mound

¹

[mound]

noun

1. a natural elevation of earth; a hillock or knoll.

2. an artificial elevation of earth, as for a defense work or a dam or barrier; an embankment.

3. a heap or raised mass.

   a mound of papers;

   a mound of hay.

4. Baseball.,  the slightly raised ground from which the pitcher delivers the ball.

5. an elevation formed of earth, sand, stones, etc., especially over a grave or ruins.

6. a tumulus or other raised work of earth dating from a prehistoric or long-past period.

verb (used with object)

1. to form into a mound; heap up.

2. to furnish with a mound of earth, as for a defense.

mound

²

[mound]

noun

1. a globe topped with a cross that symbolizes power and constitutes part of the regalia of an English sovereign.

mound

¹

/ maʊnd /

noun

1. a raised mass of earth, debris, etc

2. any heap or pile

   a mound of washing

3. a small natural hill

4. archaeol another word for barrow 2

5. an artificial ridge of earth, stone, etc, as used for defence

verb

1. (often foll by up) to gather into a mound; heap

2. (tr) to cover or surround with a mound

   to mound a grave

mound

²

/ maʊnd /

noun

1. heraldry a rare word for orb

Other Word Forms

• unmounded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mound¹

First recorded in 1505–15; of obscure origin; noun “hedge or fence used as a boundary or protection,” verb “to enclose with a fence”; compare Old English mund “hand,” hence “protection, protector”; cognate with Old Norse mund “hand,” Middle Dutch mond “protection”

Origin of mound²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mounde, mundie, from Old French monde, munde, from Latin mundus “world”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mound¹

C16: earthwork, perhaps from Old English mund hand, hence defence: compare Middle Dutch mond protection

Origin of mound²

C13 (meaning: world, C16: orb): from French monde, from Latin mundus world

Example Sentences

The sand under Woo shifts in plots and mounds, then pushes him toward me like a stick in a river.

Read more on Literature

Many AI deals resemble the big buyouts private-equity firms have done for years, in which they raise a mound of debt to juice returns on their investment.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He scooped a mound of dirt—and felt an explosion in his back.

Read more on Literature

Catcher Will Smith rushed the mound and picked him up from the waist.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

As of 2022, starting pitchers have been allowed to remain in the lineup as the designated hitter even after leaving the mound.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal