a natural elevation of the earth's surface rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill, usually greater than 2,000 feet (610 meters).
a large mass of something resembling this, as in shape or size.
a huge amount.
a mountain of incoming mail.
(initial capital letter) a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, eight driving wheels, and a two-wheeled rear truck.
Also called mountain wine. British Archaic. a sweet Malaga wine.
of or relating to mountains.
mountain air.
living, growing, or located in the mountains.
mountain people.
resembling or suggesting a mountain, as in size.
a natural upward projection of the earth's surface, higher and steeper than a hill and often having a rocky summit
( as modifier )
mountain people
mountain scenery
( in combination )
a mountaintop
a huge heap or mass
a mountain of papers
anything of great quantity or size
a surplus of a commodity, esp in the European Union
the butter mountain
informal a serious or considerable difficulty or obstruction to overcome
See molehill
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English mountaine, from Old French montaigne, from Vulgar Latin montānea (unrecorded), noun use of feminine of montāneus (unrecorded), from Latin montān(us) “mountainous” (from mont-, stem of mōns “hill, mountain” + -ānus -an ) + -eus, adjective suffix
A mountain is a large and often steep landmass that's much higher than the surrounding area. It's not to be confused with a molehill. The word mountain has been around since the 1200s. A mountain is much larger than an average hill; it's a mass of land that rises up to 2000 feet or so. Mountain does not always describe a land mass. It can also be used to refer to an undertaking, a pile of something, or even a large dose of trouble. You might have a mountain of mashed potatoes you don't want to eat, or a mountain of homework.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Thursday’s opening mountain stage, a frisky Pogacar ripped away from an elite selection of contenders and put more than 2 ½ minutes into his nearest rival.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026
The newly discovered spider was found at elevations above 2,000 meters, and its species name, himalayana, honors the mountain range where it was discovered.
From Science Daily • Jul. 9, 2026
The mountain thunderstorms are expected to continue Monday and Tuesday but should be accompanied by wetting rains that dampen fire risk, with about a tenth of an inch of precipitation, Molina said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026
Living in a mountain village in northern Greece, retired furrier Dimitris Despas is no stranger to brown bear encounters -- the latest one in his garden just weeks ago.
From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026
“We obviously can’t go back. There is probably no back to go to. The electricity was about to go out and the mountain was seconds from folding in on itself.”
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
