terrain
Americannoun
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terrains
plural
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a tract of land, especially as considered with reference to its natural features, military advantages, etc.
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Geology. terrane.
noun
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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
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a variant spelling of terrane
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing terrain
List 8
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Physical Geography - Introductory
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Elements of the Universe: Terr, Terra ("Earth")
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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.
See Examples For:
The heavy rainfall "will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain."
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Those providing private tours are finding the terrain a little tougher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Firefighters on the ground are experiencing some extremely steep and rugged terrain mixed with hot, dry temperatures and winds that are pretty variable,” Cal Fire Battalian Chief Josh Silveira said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
It is not uncommon for walkers to underestimate the terrain and the time involved or become over-reliant on electronic navigation.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Each time he enters into the terrain of the bull he is in great danger.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
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
But it’s also become clear that the two sides are fighting on wholly different terrains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
Sulfate minerals are widespread throughout the Valles Marineris region, especially in rugged landscapes called chaotic terrains.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026
The rally involved driving over a range of terrains from sand dunes, mud, rocks and dry river beds.
From BBC ● Jan. 20, 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
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.
