mountain

mountain, mount, peak, alp, volcano, mesa denote a relatively steep and high elevation of land.

Mountain, the ordinary and inclusive term, varies somewhat in meaning according to locality. In general it designates an elevation higher and steeper than a hill, rising more or less abruptly from its surrounding country, and standing out conspicuously when viewed from a distance.

Mount is often used in proper names of mountains. Peak, when applied to a mountain, designates one that rises to a sharp point; it may be isolated or one of a range.

Alp suggests a towering, dizzy, or unscalable height

{

yet do I sometimes feel a languishment ... to sit upon an alp as on a throne, and half forget what world or worldling meant— Keats

}

Volcano designates a cone-shaped mountain formed chiefly of ejected molten rock or ash and topped, usually, by a crater.

Mesa is used especially in the southwestern part of the United States to designate a flat-topped elevation, usually comparable to a hill in height, but more suggestive of a mountain because of its steep clifflike sides.

Analogous words: *height, altitude, elevation