Himalayas

[him-uh-ley-uhz, hi-mahl-yuhz]

plural noun

1. the Himalayas, a mountain range extending about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) along the border between India and Tibet. Highest peak, Mt. Everest, 29,028 feet (8,848 meters).

Himalayas

/ hɪˈmɑːljəz, ˌhɪməˈleɪəz /

plural noun

1. a vast mountain system in S Asia, extending 2400 km (1500 miles) from Kashmir (west) to Assam (east), between the valleys of the Rivers Indus and Brahmaputra: covers most of Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and the S edge of Tibet; the highest range in the world, with several peaks over 7500 m (25 000 ft). Highest peak: Mount Everest, 8848 m (29 028 ft)

Himalayas

1. Mountain range in Asia, extending east through Pakistan, India, China (Tibet), Nepal, and Bhutan.

The Himalayas contain the world's highest mountains, including Mount Everest.

Other Word Forms

• Himalayan adjective
• sub-Himalayan adjective
• trans-Himalayan adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Himalayas¹

First recorded in 1835–40; from Sanskrit Himālaya, equivalent to hima “snow” + ālaya “dwelling, abode” + -s ³ ( def. )

Example Sentences

As recounted by Hey and the Santa Barbara Independent, Montgomery had backpacked or cycled across South America, including Argentina and Chile, and across Asia, including India and the Himalayas.

From Los Angeles Times

Shallow earthquakes are common in Afghanistan, particularly in the foothills of the Himalayas where tectonic plates are sliding past each other.

From BBC

In July, as the Dalai Lama turned 90, thousands of Tibetan Buddhists gathered in Dharamshala - a quiet town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

From BBC

Uttarakhand, located in the western Himalayas, is highly vulnerable to flash floods and landslides.

From BBC

The species, which lives in the eastern Himalayas and China, is endangered and on the decline, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

From BBC

Related Words

• sierra