Added 9 October 2026
mountain
/ˈmaʊn.tɪn/ noun
In Latin: mōns, montānia Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mountain at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
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. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
-
Something very large in size or quantity; a huge amount; a great heap.
He was a real mountain of a man, standing seven feet tall.
- A difficult task or challenge.
Origin
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 English barrow (from Old English beorg) and down (from Old English dūn), and partially displaced non-native Old English munt, from Latin mōns (whence English mount).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)