How to pronounce mountainous
Say it like MOWN-tuh-nus. Mountainous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOWN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce mountainous. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- MOWN
- tuh
- nus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Mountainous pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- MOWNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- nusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of mountainous
American and British speakers say mountainous in essentially the same way: /ˈmaʊntənəs/ in the US and /ˈmaʊntɪnəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: MOWN-tih-nus.
What does mountainous mean?
- Having many mountains; characterized by mountains; of the nature of a mountain; rough (terrain); rocky.
- Resembling a mountain, especially in size; huge; towering.
- Very difficult.
Where does mountainous come from?
From mountain + -ous after Middle French montagneux, from Late Latin montāniōsus, from montānia, from Latin montem (“mountain”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying mountainous
How do you pronounce mountainous?
Say MOWN-tuh-nus. The American pronunciation is /ˈmaʊntənəs/. In British English it is /ˈmaʊntɪnəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in mountainous?
Mountainous has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (MOWN). Broken into parts: MOWN · tuh · nus.
Do Americans and Brits say mountainous the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈmaʊntənəs/ and the British form is /ˈmaʊntɪnəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.