Words / B2

MOWNT-in-uh-s/ˈmaʊntɪnəs/

Mountainous means having many mountains, or (of a problem or amount) huge: a mountainous region; a mountainous task. Hilly is gentler; mountainous as “huge” is slightly informal in essays. Name the range on the map. Mix-up: mountain is the noun (already in the dictionary); mountainous vs mountaineer (a climber). Do not call a single hill mountainous.

Meaning

Having many mountains; also (of a problem or amount) huge.

Examples

• “A mountainous region still needs a named range on the map.”
• “A mountainous backlog of scripts featured in the minutes, which is the huge-amount sense.”

Good to know

a mountainous region / area; mountainous + task (huge). Noun: mountain. Gentler: hilly. Trap: mountaineer. Geography and news. Full of mountains, or huge — specify.

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