What does "mountain" mean?
An elevation of land of considerable dimensions rising more or less abruptly, forming a conspicuous figure in the landscape, usually having a small extent of surface at its summit.
Mountain
/ˈmaʊn.tɪn/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An elevation of land of considerable dimensions rising more or less abruptly, forming a conspicuous figure in the landscape, usually having a small extent of surface at its summit.
- Grammar: mountain is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: heap, highland, mount, pile.
- Useful contrasts: italian valle, italian valle soil, dale.
- Usage evidence: We think it is very dangerous that you're climbing the mountain alone.
How to use "mountain"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mountain" 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 "mountain" 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 "mountain" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mountain" 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 "mountain" is acting as name, noun, slang 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 "heap" 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 "mountain", 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 elevation of land of considerable dimensions rising more or less abruptly, forming a conspicuous figure in the landscape, usually having a small extent of surface at its summit. countable
"Everest is the highest mountain in the world."
- 2 a steam locomotive of the 4-8-2 wheel arrangement.
"Western Pacific wisely devoted its design energies to the articulateds which produced most of its gross, left the 4-6-0's that came with the road plus a few secondhand Florida East Coast Mountains for its sparse passenger service."
- 3 a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill wordnet
- 4 Something very large in size or quantity; a huge amount; a great heap. countable
"He was a real mountain of a man, standing seven feet tall."
- 5 (often followed by ‘of’) a large number or amount or extent wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A difficult task or challenge. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"Five minutes into the game the Black Cats were facing a mountain, partly because of West Brom's newly-found ruthlessness in front of goal but also as a result of the home side's defensive generosity."
- 7 Wine from Malaga made from grapes that grow on a mountain. historical, uncountable
"Called on Courtenay, with whom I walked to Hampstead Heath, and got into excellent spirits, enjoying fine fresh air; then dined with him tête-a-tête on mutton broth and mackerel and drank mountain and old port moderately."
- 8 A woman's large breast. countable, slang
- 9 The twenty-first Lenormand card. countable, uncountable
Proper Noun
- 1 A placename:; A minor city in Pembina County, North Dakota, United States. countable, uncountable
- 2 A placename:; An unincorporated community in Ritchie County, West Virginia, United States, originally named Mole Hill. countable, uncountable
- 3 A placename:; A town and census-designated place therein, in Oconto County, Wisconsin, United States. countable, uncountable
- 4 A placename:; A number of townships in the United States, listed under Mountain Township. countable, uncountable
- 5 A placename:; A rural municipality in western Manitoba, Canada; in full, the Rural Municipality of Mountain. countable, uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A placename:; A hamlet near Queensbury, Metropolitan Borough of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE0930). countable, uncountable
- 7 A placename:; A huge province in the Cordilleras composed of the subprovinces of Apayao, Amburayan, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Lepanto-Bontoc. countable, historical, obsolete, uncountable
- 8 A surname. countable
- 9 The Montagnard party in the time of the French Revolution. countable, historical, uncountable, with-definite-article
Example
"We think it is very dangerous that you're climbing the mountain alone."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mountain"?
Common synonyms include: heap, highland, mount, pile, abundance, accumulation.
How do you use "mountain" in a sentence?
We think it is very dangerous that you're climbing the mountain alone.
How do you pronounce "mountain"?
Pronounced /ˈmaʊn.tɪn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English mountayne, mountain, montaigne, from Anglo-Norman muntaine, muntaigne, from Early Medieval Latin montānia, a collective based on Latin montem (“mountain”), from Proto-Indo-European *monti (compare Welsh mynydd (“mountain”), Albanian mat (“bank, shore”), Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬙𐬌 (mati, “promontory”)), from *men- (“to project, stick out”). Displaced native Old English beorg and dūn, and partially displaced non-native Old English munt, from Latin mōns (whence English mount).
Etymology 2
From mountain.