mountain

noun

moun·​tain ˈmau̇n-tᵊn How to pronounce mountain (audio)
Synonyms of mountainnext
often attributive
1
a
: a landmass that projects conspicuously above its surroundings and is higher than a hill
The sun set behind the mountains.
b
: an elongated ridge
2
a
: a great mass
… a mountain of a man …—David Butwin
b
: a vast number or quantity
a mountain of mail
a mountain of debt
see also:
make a mountain out of a molehill

Synonyms of mountain

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Examples of mountain in a Sentence

She watched the sun set behind the mountains. a cabin in the mountains They both like mountain climbing. We've received a mountain of mail.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Deep in the Pyrenees mountains, a young man, Miquel, struggles in the wake of his mother’s death in a snowstorm — a tragic event that was at the center of Tóibín’s 2006 novella, A Long Winter. — Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Extreme mountain climbing has never looked anything but miserable from the distance of a screening room, and The Other Side delivers mightily on all that scraping, straining, gasping toil. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026 Most also agree on the origin of the beans, which are said to come from the low valleys and mountain slopes of the Andes in Peru. — Margy Rochlin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 There is also a multi-hour hike up the Tunupa Volcano that, halfway from the base of the mountain, will bring you to the Chullpas Cemetery with mummies dating back to 1200 AD. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mountain

Word History

Etymology

Middle English montaine, monteine, mounteyne, borrowed from Anglo-French muntaine, monteigne, mountaigne "elevated region, mountain range, mountain" (also continental Old French, Middle French montagne), going back to Vulgar Latin *montānea, from Latin mont-, mons "mountain, hill" + Vulgar Latin *-ānea, collective suffix, from neuter plural of Latin -āneus (from -ānus -an entry 2 + -eus -eous) — more at mount entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mountain was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing mountain

Rhymes for mountain

See All Rhymes for mountain

Browse Nearby Words

mountable
mountain
mountain accentor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mountain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountain. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mountain

noun
moun·​tain ˈmau̇nt-ᵊn How to pronounce mountain (audio)
1
: an elevation higher than a hill
2
: a great mass or huge number
a mountain of mail

More from Merriam-Webster on mountain

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mountain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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