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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A natural elevation of the earth's surface having considerable mass, generally steep sides, and a height greater than that of a hill.
  2. n. A large heap: a mountain of laundry.
  3. n. A huge quantity: a mountain of trouble.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. An elevation of land of considerable dimensions rising more or less abruptly above the surrounding or adjacent region. Ordinarily no elevation is called a mountain which does not form a conspicuous figure in the landscape; hence, what is a mountain in one region might be regarded as simply a hill in another. A region may have great elevation above the sea-level, but not be recognized as a mountain. Thus, the Plains, or the region between the Missouri and the Rocky Mountains, have an elevation on their western edge as great as that of the highest points of the Appalachian range. Elevated regions not mountains are often called plateaus. Elevations, although of considerable height, if quite isolated or precipitous, are often called rocks: as, the Rock of Gibraltar. Peak is occasionally used in the same way: as, Pike's Peak; the Peak of Teneriffe; and in the United States, in regions formerly occupied or explored by the French, the word butte is employed with a somewhat similar meaning, while mound is used over a considerable extent of country, especially in Wisconsin, as nearly the equivalent of butte or mount. For ranges or connected series of mountains, see mountain-chain.
  2. n. Something resembling a mountain in being large; something of extraordinary magnitude; a great heap: as, a mountain of rubbish.
  3. n. A wine made from grapes grown on high ground. See II., 2.
  4. Of or pertaining to mountains; found on mountains; growing or living on a mountain: as, mountain air; mountain pines; mountain goats.
  5. Produced from vines growing on the slopes of a mountain, a hill, or any high ground: as, mountain wine.
  6. Like a mountain in size; vast; mighty.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A large mass of earth and rock, rising above the common level of the earth or adjacent land, usually given by geographers as above 1000 feet in height (or 304.8 metres), though such masses may still be described as hills in comparison with larger mountains.
  2. n. A large amount.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. A large mass of earth and rock, rising above the common level of the earth or adjacent land; earth and rock forming an isolated peak or a ridge; an eminence higher than a hill; a mount.
  2. n. A range, chain, or group of such elevations.
  3. n. A mountainlike mass; something of great bulk; a large quantity.
  4. adj. Of or pertaining to a mountain or mountains; growing or living on a mountain; found on or peculiar to mountains; among mountains
  5. adj. Like a mountain; mountainous; vast; very great.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
  2. n. (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent

Etymologies

  1. Middle English mountaine, from Old French montaigne, muntaigne, from Vulgar Latin *montānea, from feminine of *montāneus, of a mountain, from Latin montānus, from mōns, mont-, mountain; see men-2 in Indo-European roots.

Examples

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Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘mountain’.

Comments

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  • lyric When society speaks, all men listen.
    When the mountains speak, wise men listen.

    John Muir May 3, 2008

  • oroboros I am the mountain;
    You, the cooling mist.

    Blurring my boundaries
    I can hide in you.

    I am strong and rooted;
    You are glowing...pliant...ethereal.

    You are beauty to me.
    You are joy...

    And pain. May 3, 2008

‘mountain’ has been looked up 1686 times, added to 25 lists, commented on 2 times, and has a Scrabble score of 10.