Dictionary

mountainous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• [ˈmæʊn.tn̩.əs] (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmaʊn.tə.nəs/ (US)
• /ˈmaʊn.tɪ.nəs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈmæ̃ʊ̃(n)-] (US)
• [-ʔn̩-] (US)
• /ˈmaʊn.tɪ.nəs/ (US)
• /ˈmaʊn.tɪ.nəs/ (Canada)
• /ˈmaʊn.tə.nəs/ (Canada)
• /ˈmæʊn.tə.nəs/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˈmæɔn.tɪ.nəs/ (Australia)

Etymology

From mountain + -ous after Middle French montagneux, from Late Latin montāniōsus, from montānia, from Latin montem (“mountain”).

Meanings

1. Having many mountains; characterized by mountains; of the nature of a mountain; rough (terrain); rocky.
   • The mountainous nature of Norway has always been a serious obstacle to the development of railways, and although some 2,700 route miles are now open for traffic, several schemes have yet to be completed. 1956 April, H. A. Vallance, “To Oslo via Stavanger”, in Railway Magazine, page 213:
   • [Water vapour bubbles] hit againſt the ſides of the more eminent and Mountainous Places, of the Globe, and by this Concuſſion are condenſed, and thus become heavier than the Air they ſvvom in, and ſo gleet dovvn the rocky Caverns of theſe Mountains, […] 1705, George Cheyne, “Of the Existence of a Deity”, in Philosophical Principles of Natural Religion: […], London: […] George Strahan […], →OCLC, § XXIX, page 184:
   • While the physical and human toll now is likely to be lower, the mountainous terrain and dispersed population make the response to Helene tough to manage and could slow the transition to a recovery phase, after power and other services are restored. 2024 October 1, Simon Montlake, “In mountainous North Carolina, residents are the first responders after Hurricane Helene”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 05 Oct 2024:
2. Resembling a mountain, especially in size; huge; towering.
   • But the added size did not give them an advantage this time. Not when Kanter and Adams, two mountainous players, could match the Knicks’ girth with their own. 2016 November 28, Mike Vorkunov, “Despite Flash of Rose’s Prime, Knicks Are Dazed by Westbrook and Thunder”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 08 Nov 2020:
3. (figuratively, of a problem or task) Very difficult.
   • As Brazil faced the mountainous task of completing an Olympic venue before the opening ceremony, Chinese netizens got busy molehilling a remark by a Rio construction manager about their China supplier. 2016 August 4, “Off-hand remark in Rio chafes Chinese Net”, in Global Times, archived from the original on 07 Mar 2020:
4. (obsolete) Inhabiting mountains; hence, barbarous.

Forms

Deriveds

unmountainous · intramountainous · mountainousness · nonmountainous · mountainously

Relateds

hilly · mountain

Translations (92)

ca muntanyós (having many mountains) · cs hornatý (having many mountains) · pot bkotnya (having many mountains) · pl górzysty (having many mountains) · ky тоолуу (having many mountains) · de bergig (having many mountains) · mr डोंगरी (having many mountains) · pt montanhoso (having many mountains) · cjs тағлығ (having many mountains) · acw جَبَلي (having many mountains) · pot bgëwdena (having many mountains) · crh dağlıq (having many mountains) · ru гори́стый (having many mountains) · nb fjellrik (having many mountains) · ka მთიანი (having many mountains) · ug تاغلىق (having many mountains) · la montōsus (having many mountains) · cy mynyddog (having many mountains) · bg плани́нски (having many mountains) · cmn 多山的 (having many mountains) · az dağlıq (having many mountains) · fi jättimäinen (resembling a mountain) · ast montosu (having many mountains) · sh го̀рскӣ (having many mountains) · sh горо̀вит (having many mountains) · tsg mabūd (having many mountains) · ga sléibhtiúil (having many mountains) · sh gòrskī (having many mountains) · hu hegyes (having many mountains) · it montuoso (having many mountains) · fi visainen (very difficult) · hu hegyvidéki (having many mountains) · da bjergrig (having many mountains) · sh брдо̀вит (having many mountains) · sk hornatý (having many mountains) · eo monta (resembling a mountain) · hu hegyi (having many mountains) · pms montos (having many mountains) · tr dağsı (resembling a mountain) · ar جَبَلِيّ (having many mountains) · sh brdòvit (having many mountains) · nn fjellrik (having many mountains) · sh plànīnskī (having many mountains) · sh пла̀нӣнскӣ (having many mountains) · tk daglyk (having many mountains) · enm mountuous (having many mountains) · sh goròvit (having many mountains) · unm òhchuwike (having many mountains) · eo montoza (having many mountains) · mn уулархаг (having many mountains) · tl mabundok (having many mountains) · kjh тағлығ (having many mountains) · fa کوهستانی (having many mountains) · fi järkälemäinen (resembling a mountain) · pms montagnos (having many mountains) · alt туулу (having many mountains) · uz togʻlik (having many mountains) · mr पर्वतमय (having many mountains) · ga sléibhteach (having many mountains) · sl gôrski (having many mountains) · tyv даглыг (having many mountains) · nl bergachtig (having many mountains) · mn уулархуу (having many mountains) · tr dağlık (having many mountains) · be гары́сты (having many mountains) · sv fjällrik (having many mountains) · mk планински (having many mountains) · pdt boajich (having many mountains) · de gebirgig (having many mountains) · cs obrovský (resembling a mountain) · sv bergig (having many mountains) · gl montañoso (having many mountains) · izh mäekäs (having many mountains) · es montañoso (having many mountains) · rm alpin (having many mountains) · gd beanntach (having many mountains) · uk гори́стий (having many mountains) · eo montara (having many mountains) · ru гороподо́бный (resembling a mountain) · fr montagneux (having many mountains) · io montoza (having many mountains) · fi vuoristoinen (having many mountains) · ota طاغلق (having many mountains) · tr dağımsı (resembling a mountain) · cs ohromný (resembling a mountain) · kk таулы (having many mountains) · grc ὀρεινός (having many mountains) · sah хайалаах (having many mountains) · kum тавлу (having many mountains) · fi vuorenkokoinen (resembling a mountain) · it montagnoso (having many mountains) · hy լեռնային (having many mountains)