sierra

[ see-er-uh ]

noun

1. a chain of hills or mountains, the peaks of which suggest the teeth of a saw.
2. any of several Spanish mackerels of the genus Scomberomorus, especially S. sierra, found in western North America.
3. a word used in communications to represent the letter S.

sierra

¹

/ sɪˈɛərə /

noun

1. a range of mountains with jagged peaks, esp in Spain or America

Sierra

²

/ sɪˈɛərə /

noun

1. communications a code word for the letter s

sierra

/ sē-ĕr′ə /

1. A high, rugged range of mountains having an irregular outline somewhat like the teeth of a saw.

Derived Forms

• siˈerran, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sierra¹

1590–1600; < Spanish: literally, saw < Latin serra

Word History and Origins

Origin of sierra¹

C17: from Spanish, literally: saw, from Latin serra; see serrate

Example Sentences

I remember my first ride, at Sand Canyon in the eastern Sierra.

From Outside Online

Dynetics, which is partnering with the Sierra Nevada Corp, received $253 million, and SpaceX won $135 million.

From Washington Post

With only 48 hours to explore in this vast swath of the Sierra Nevada, Ave and I hatched a plan to day hike as much of the park as we could, as fast as we could.

From Outside Online

Father José Julián was shot and wounded driving in a car through the sierra of Ajuchitán.

From The Daily Beast

People on the streets of Havana cheered and celebrated the return of fighters from the Sierra Maestra.

From The Daily Beast

Chernon Bah, co-founder of A World at School, was alarmed by what she witnessed recently in Sierra Leone.

From The Daily Beast

In Liberia, the number is just over 54 percent—Sierra Leone, 67 percent.

From The Daily Beast

And now, Sierra Leoneans will face jail time if caught burying Ebola victims.

From The Daily Beast

My father, who is dead, kept a hotel at Sierra Leone, and he knew the ways of the—half-castes.

From Project Gutenberg

Away to the east a group of eruptive mountains are seen—the Sierra La Sal.

From Project Gutenberg

But it is quite possibly for ahuitzil, dwellers in the sierra.

From Project Gutenberg

The effect of the poem on Sierra Flat was remarkable and unprecedented.

From Project Gutenberg

A priest with whom I was acquainted in the Sierra, got a saddle and a pair of stirrups made for me.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• alp
• bluff
• butte
• cliff
• crag
• elevation
• eminence
• height
• mesa
• mount
• palisade
• peak
• pike
• precipice
• range
• ridge
• tor
• volcano