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• mountain
  mountain

  noun

  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).
• Mountain
  Mountain

  noun

  an extremist faction during the French Revolution led by Danton and Robespierre

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mountain

American  

[moun-tn] / ˈmaʊn tn /

noun

• mountains
  plural

1. 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).

2. a large mass of something resembling this, as in shape or size.

3. a huge amount.

   a mountain of incoming mail.

4. (initial capital letter) a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, eight driving wheels, and a two-wheeled rear truck.

5. Also called mountain wine.  British Archaic. a sweet Malaga wine.

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adjective

1. of or relating to mountains.

   mountain air.

2. living, growing, or located in the mountains.

   mountain people.

3. resembling or suggesting a mountain, as in size.

idioms

1. make a mountain out of a molehill. molehill.

Mountain ¹ British  

/ ˈmaʊntɪn /

noun

1. an extremist faction during the French Revolution led by Danton and Robespierre

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mountain ² British  

/ ˈmaʊntɪn /

noun

1. 1. a natural upward projection of the earth's surface, higher and steeper than a hill and often having a rocky summit

   2. ( as modifier )

      mountain people

      mountain scenery

   3. ( in combination )

      a mountaintop

2. a huge heap or mass

   a mountain of papers

3. anything of great quantity or size

4. a surplus of a commodity, esp in the European Union

   the butter mountain

5. informal a serious or considerable difficulty or obstruction to overcome

6. See molehill

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mountain Scientific  

/ moun′tən /

1. A generally massive and usually steep-sided, raised portion of the Earth's surface. Mountains can occur as single peaks or as part of a long chain. They can form through volcanic activity, by erosion, or by uplift of the continental crust when two tectonic plates collide. The Himalayas, which are the highest mountains in the world, were formed when the plate carrying the landmass of India collided with the plate carrying the landmass of China.

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mountain More Idioms  

1. see if the mountain won't come to Muhammad; make a mountain out of a molehill.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undermountain
  noun
• mountainless
  adjective
• submountain
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mountains
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mountain

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mountain Mountain mountains

Searle pointed out that Langsang Lirung sits on the crest of the high Himalayas and there are "incredibly steep valleys" on both sides of the mountain, which could have funnelled the water at higher speeds.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

One unlucky hiker paid more than $1,000 for a tow down the narrow, 23-mile mountain road after a marmot attack.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Dorothy Heinrich, a researcher at the UK's University of Reading, told AFP: "In these mountain environments, the rivers can be quite narrow in areas."

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

Her arc mirrored that of my Mexican immigrant parents, who were also mountain people who grew up in big farming families with no plumbing or electricity, snuggling with siblings during winter nights in unheated bedrooms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

We could be up a mountain or at a lakeside campground.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

And at the other end of the year, the Glencoe Mountain Resort skiing centre is having to adapt to unreliable winter snow.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

But it was 1986’s “A Smoky Mountain Christmas,” Parton’s down-home festive fable, that cemented her as a seasonal favorite.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

Mountain lions have the right of way, and city staff agrees.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

The company says Keystone will kick things off in October followed by Breckenridge, Vail Mountain and several others in November.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

‘Before he died,’ said Torak, ‘my father made me swear an oath. To find the Mountain, or die trying.’

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Sabir Miyan, a resident of the town, said warnings that floodwaters were racing down from the mountains had helped save lives.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

Eastern time Friday morning from the Fed’s Jackson Hole summer retreat, located at a resort at the base of the Teton mountains in Wyoming.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

I watch my 10 year old daughter Zena races through heather nearby, building boulder bridges over a cold stream, clinging to my brother as the Etive Mòr and Black Mount mountains rise behind them.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Even though our granny was, like all people in the mountains, well acquainted with Dolly by that point, she was still transfixed.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

Daisy had me pretty well convinced that there was an old man of the mountains.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• alp
• bluff
• butte
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• eminence
• height
• mesa
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• palisade
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• range
• ridge
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• volcano