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Definition of himalayas
himalayas
/ˌhɪməˈleɪəz/
Him · a · lay · as
Plural:Himalayas
•Adjective:Himalayan
himalayas Lexical Profile
CEFR
B1
Grade
5
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
A vast mountain range in Asia separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau, famous for containing the Earth's highest peaks, including Mount Everest.
Example
"The expedition spent months preparing to climb the treacherous, snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas."
Word Nuance & Usage
Always capitalized and typically treated as a plural proper noun, preceded by the definite article 'the' (e.g., 'the Himalayas').
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Sanskrit word 'Himalaya', which translates to 'abode of snow', combining 'hima' (snow) and 'alaya' (dwelling or abode).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Himalayas. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/himalayas