adjective
-
of or relating to mountains
a mountainous region
-
like a mountain, esp in size or impressiveness
Other Word Forms
- mountainously adverb
- mountainousness noun
- nonmountainous adjective
- nonmountainously adverb
- semimountainous adjective
- semimountainously adverb
- unmountainous adjective
Etymology
Origin of mountainous
First recorded in 1400–50, mountainous is from the late Middle English word mounteynous. See mountain, -ous
Vocabulary lists containing mountainous
South America - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Eastern Europe - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mexico - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Earlier reports suggested the missing crew member might be in the mountainous area of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, in the southwestern regions of Iran.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
The airman, an unidentified colonel as we write this, climbed into mountainous terrain despite his injuries to escape detection and await a rescue once the U.S. located him.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
That had sparked a race over the weekend in mountainous terrain, with images posted on social media of US aircraft and helicopters flying low over Iran as part of search-and-rescue operations.
From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026
The mountainous terrain is rugged and covered by thick bush.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
The Short-Snout has fewer human killings to its name than most dragons, though as it prefers to live in wild and uninhabited mountainous areas, this is not much to its credit.
From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
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.
