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

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."

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 notes

In 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

Word forms

more mountainous comparative, most mountainous superlative

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Fill the gap

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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."

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for mountainous

yous nous pious joyous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous tedious spurious

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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.