mountainous

adjective

moun·​tain·​ous ˈmau̇n-tə-nəs How to pronounce mountainous (audio)
ˈmau̇nt-nəs
Synonyms of mountainousnext
1
: containing many mountains
2
: resembling a mountain : huge
mountainously adverb
mountainousness noun

Synonyms

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Examples of mountainous in a Sentence

the seemingly mountainous obstacles he had to overcome while growing up
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.
Mysterious early human relatives The mountainous region of Spain where the fossils were found has been an important locale for paleoanthropology. — Katie Hunt, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025 Rain totals are expected to reach 4 inches in higher elevations, while heavy snowfall is expected in mountainous regions near the Sierra Nevada. — Nadia Lopez, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025 However, a region of the mountainous Turpan-Hami Basin in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in Western China may have been an oasis for some living organisms during the planet’s largest mass extinction. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2025 Despite the mountainous setting, the Mediterranean climate ensures comfortable summers, averaging 75° Fahrenheit, and mild winters, around 45°. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mountainous

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mounteynous, borrowed from Anglo-French muntaignus, from muntaigne, mountaigne mountain + -us -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mountainous was in the 14th century

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mountainous
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Cite this Entry

“Mountainous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mountainous. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

mountainous

adjective
moun·​tain·​ous ˈmau̇nt-ᵊn-əs How to pronounce mountainous (audio)
-nəs
1
: having many mountains
2
: resembling a mountain : huge

More from Merriam-Webster on mountainous

Nglish: Translation of mountainous for Spanish Speakers

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