adjective
Uncommon
mountainous
MOWN-tih-nuhs
Mountainous (adjective) means having many mountains; full of steep, rugged terrain. Example: “The northern part of the country is mountainous and sparsely populated.”
adjective
1
Having many mountains; full of steep, rugged terrain.
"The northern part of the country is mountainous and sparsely populated."
"Hiking trails wind through mountainous terrain near the border."
2
Huge or towering, like a mountain (used figuratively).
"She faced a mountainous pile of paperwork on her first day."
"They ran up mountainous debts trying to keep the business afloat."
How to use mountainous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFull of mountains, or so large it feels like one — used both for landscapes and for big problems or amounts.
Common pairings
mountainous region
mountainous terrain
mountainous task
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more mountainous
- Superlative
- most mountainous
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The northern part of the country is _____ and sparsely populated.
Etymology
From "mountain" plus the suffix "-ous," echoing French montagneux and, further back, Latin montem, "mountain."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for mountainous
See all rhymes for mountainous →Frequently asked questions
What does “mountainous” mean?
The word “mountainous” means having many mountains; full of steep, rugged terrain. In plain terms, full of mountains, or so large it feels like one — used both for landscapes and for big problems or amounts.
How do you pronounce “mountainous”?
“Mountainous” is pronounced MOWN-tih-nuhs (/ˈmaʊn.tɪ.nəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “mountainous” in a sentence?
Here is “mountainous” used in a sentence: “The northern part of the country is mountainous and sparsely populated.”
What part of speech is “mountainous”?
“Mountainous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “mountainous” come from?
The word “mountainous” comes from Latin. From "mountain" plus the suffix "-ous," echoing French montagneux and, further back, Latin montem, "mountain.".
Is “mountainous” a common word?
“Mountainous” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “mountainous” have?
“Mountainous” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having many mountains; full of steep, rugged terrain.
