DictionaryAI

mountain

noun
MOWN-tuhn/ˈmaʊn.t(ə)n/MOWN-tin/ˈmaʊn.tɪn/

Pluralmountains

6 meanings of mountain

Practice

  1. 1
    high landnouncountable
    A very high piece of land with steep sides, much taller than a hill.

    Like a giant hill so tall that its top reaches the clouds.

    We climbed the mountain over two long days.

    Snow covered the tops of the distant mountains.

    UsageSay Mount Everest, and go to the mountains for a mountain area.

    Similarpeak, mount

    Note
  2. 2
    huge pilenouncountable
    A very large amount or pile of something.

    Like a huge heap that feels too big to ever get through.

    She had a mountain of homework to finish before Monday.

    There was a mountain of dirty dishes stacked in the sink.

    UsageSay a mountain of work: a huge amount.

    Similarpile, heap, stack, mass

    Note
  3. 3
    hard tasknounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
    A very hard task or problem that feels huge to deal with.

    Like standing at the bottom of a tall hill you have to climb.

    Learning to read music felt like a mountain at first.

    For my grandfather, learning to use a smartphone was a mountain to climb.

    UsageSay have a mountain to climb: a very hard job ahead.

    Similarchallenge, hurdle, ordeal

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    breastnounslangcountable
    A slang word for a woman's large breast.

    UsageA rude word. Say breast or chest.

  2. 5
    noun
    The twenty-first card in a Lenormand fortune-telling deck.
  3. 6
    noun
    A sweet wine from Malaga, made from grapes grown on a mountainside.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of mountain apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came through Middle English and Anglo-Norman from an Early Medieval Latin word montānia, based on Latin montem meaning "mountain".

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

  • Mountain came through Middle English and Anglo-Norman from Early Medieval Latin montānia. en.wiktionary.org
  • Montānia is based on the Latin mountain stem found in montem. en.wiktionary.org
  • Latin montem means mountain; it is the accusative singular of mōns. en.wiktionary.org