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

Synonyms of mountain

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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.
Bert McCarty, a Clemson University professor of turfgrass science and management, said golfers like how top courses are so different — from incorporating the ocean in places near beaches to relying on inclines in the mountains. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 Water rushes past, glinting silver in the light of the sun, just risen above the mountains that ring the bay. — Jonathan Wiggin, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Aug. 2026 The post announcing her death included a photo of Towle posing on a mountain peak. — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 Some are so dense that a teaspoonful would outweigh a mountain. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 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 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

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

Nglish: Translation of mountain for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mountain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All