What does "butte" mean?
An isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top.
Butte
/ˈbjuːt/ name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top.
- Grammar: butte is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: anthill, barrow, brae, down.
- Useful contrasts: plain, valley.
- Usage evidence: We hiked up a butte surrounded by grass. It was so flat up there that we were able to walk around and get a good 360 view of the area.
How to use "butte"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "butte" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "butte" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "butte" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "butte" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "butte" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "anthill" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "butte", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top. US
"Those multitoned buttes and mesas [of the Grand Canyon], and that incandescent sequence of colorful bands that make one of the natural wonders of the world so grand, can also be found over 100 million miles away [on Mars]."
- 2 a hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding region; has a flat top and sloping sides wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname. countable
- 2 A placename; A census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. countable, uncountable
- 3 A placename; A city, the county seat of Silver Bow County, Montana, United States, with which it is a consolidated city-county known as Butte-Silver Bow. countable, uncountable
- 4 A placename; A village, the county seat of Boyd County, Nebraska, United States. countable, uncountable
- 5 A placename; A city and village in McLean County, North Dakota, United States. countable, uncountable
Example
"We hiked up a butte surrounded by grass. It was so flat up there that we were able to walk around and get a good 360 view of the area."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "butte"?
Common synonyms include: anthill, barrow, brae, down, drumlin, dune.
How do you use "butte" in a sentence?
We hiked up a butte surrounded by grass. It was so flat up there that we were able to walk around and get a good 360 view of the area.
How do you pronounce "butte"?
Pronounced /ˈbjuːt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
PIE word *bʰudʰmḗn Borrowed from French butte (“mound”). Related to butt via a West Germanic cognate.
Etymology 2
Perhaps a variant spelling of Butt.