terrain

American  

[tuh-reyn] / təˈreɪn /

noun

• terrains
  plural

1. a tract of land, especially as considered with reference to its natural features, military advantages, etc.

2. Geology. terrane.

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terrain British  

/ təˈreɪn, ˈtɛreɪn /

noun

1. ground or a piece of ground, esp with reference to its physical character or military potential

   radio reception can be difficult in mountainous terrain

   a rocky terrain

2. a variant spelling of terrane

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• terrains
  plural

Etymology

Origin of terrain

1720–30; < French ≪ Vulgar Latin *terrānum, noun use of neuter of *terrānus of land. See terra, -an

Explanation

An ATV, or all-terrain vehicle, is useful for people who drive on lots of different terrain, hence the name. Terrain is a noun used to talk about the ground, when you're specifically interested in how it appears or is shaped. In times of war, you'll often hear the term "hostile terrain" used to describe a region with lots of mountains, vast stretches of desert, or impenetrable jungles. These are all areas of difficult terrain that are hard to pass. Much of humankind's history can be traced by its effort to alter the terrain. We've made mountains into meadows, rivers into lakes, and prairies into roads, all to make the terrain more livable for us. You could even go so far as to say that a person's psyche is mysterious terrain.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

terrain terrains

Five West Texas sheriffs likewise wrote to federal officials saying advanced surveillance technology would be better suited to stopping undocumented migration in the rugged terrain.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

Those providing private tours are finding the terrain a little tougher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Their remains show distinctive patterns of stress in the vertebrae along with strong limb bones capable of handling repeated physical strain across frozen terrain.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

“Firefighters are working in steep, rugged terrain with limited access, making suppression efforts more challenging. Crews remain engaged with both ground and air resources to slow the fire’s spread and protect nearby communities,” CalFire said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

Nali drove into hilly terrain and higher altitudes.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

The U.S. has a diverse range of terrains across its 3.8 million square miles, including the desert in the Southwest.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026

Satellites offering consumers and companies internet access, even in typically difficult to access areas and terrains, are starting to become a more popular enterprise for tech companies.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

Part of the museum’s expansive textile collection, Rosalena’s 27-foot-long tapestry is woven with hand-weaving patterns using satellite images the artist distorted from planetary terrains from Mars and Earth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

Sulfate minerals are widespread throughout the Valles Marineris region, especially in rugged landscapes called chaotic terrains.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026

On top of that, they had selected one of the most nearly impossible terrains on Earth.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• area
• contour
• field
• ground
• land
• province
• region
• soil
• territory
• topography
• turf