Did you know that there is an abbreviation for the word mountain? We’ve put together a guide to understanding what the abbreviation for mountain is, how to use it, what it means, and a lot more.
Let’s dive into the correct abbreviation for mountain.
There is only one abbreviation for the word mountain in English:
Mtn.
On rare occasions, one may abbreviation mountain as Mt., but this is not recommended as it could easily be confused with mount. The period should always be included at the end of this abbreviation for grammatical accuracy. Mountain Standard Time (MST) and Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) have distinct abbreviations.
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According to Dictionary.com, the word mountain can be defined as the following.
Mountain [ moun-tn ]
noun
1. a natural elevation of the earth’s surface rising more or less abruptly to a summit and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill, usually greater than 2000 feet (610 meters).
2. a large mass of something resembling this, as in shape or size.
3. a huge amount.
4. (initial capital letter) a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, eight driving wheels, and a two-wheeled rear truck.
5. Also called mountain wine. British Archaic. a sweet Malaga wine.
adjective
1. of or relating to mountains.
2. living, growing, or located in the mountains.
3. mountain people.
4. resembling or suggesting a mountain, as in size.
Synonyms for Mountain
● bluff
● cliff
● elevation
● peak
● pile
● ridge
● sierra
● volcano
● abundance
● alp
● bank
● butte
● crag
● dome
● drift
● eminence
● glob
● heap
● height
● hump
● mass
● mesa
● mound
● mount
● palisade
● pike
● precipice
● pyramid
● range
● shock
● stack
● ton
● tor
The History of the Word
The word mountain, with a modern meaning of “natural elevation rising more or less abruptly to attain a significant height,” comes from the 1200’s. It is derived from the Old French word montaigne. The Modern French spelling would be montagne. The word has even deeper roots in the Vulgar Latin word montanea, which is the feminine of montaneus.
Until the eighteenth century, the word applied to any fairly low elevation natural peak if it was prominent enough. Now, the word mountain mostly refers to elevations of 2,000 ft. or more. Its adjective form, which referred to anything situated on a mountain, came about in the late fourteenth century.
When to Use This Abbreviation
The abbreviation mtn. is used to refer to a mountain in shorthand. The abbreviation Mt. (mount) can be placed before the name of a particular mountain. You’ll find the Mt. abbreviation used before the name of a mountain frequently. The abbreviation mtn. Is less common, and it appears in newspaper headlines or notes, wherever brevity and space is a concern.
When it comes to formal, academic, research, and dissertation writing, the mtn. abbreviation is almost never used, and the word mountain is almost always spelled out in full.
Examples of the Word and Abbreviations in Context
“Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on Christmas Eve (Sunday, Dec. 24), children of all ages can watch Santa make preparations for his flight.” —Eastern Arizona Courier
“In 1978, she led an all-woman’s team to Annapurna, often called the world’s most dangerous mountain.” —The Spokesman-Review
“Because of that, one would hardly expect the brand to be making a prototype watch that would scale Mt. Everest and later sell for more than a hundred thousand dollars at auction, with the proceeds going to charity.” —Forbes Magazine
“Traffic Alert: US 550 Red Mtn. Pass closed | OURAY, Colo. — The Colorado Department of Transportation has closed ‘The Million Dollar Highway.” —WesternSlopeNow.com
Additional United States Postal Service (USPS) Landmark and Street Name Abbreviations
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
