mount rushmore
mount rushmore Lexical Profile
• noun
American A mountain and national memorial in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, United States, featuring colossal sculptures of the heads of four US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
"During their summer road trip, the family stopped in South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore and marvel at the massive stone faces."
North American A metaphorical concept used to describe a hypothetical collection of the four most important, successful, or recognizable individuals in a particular field, sport, or genre.
"When debating the Mount Rushmore of basketball, fans often argue intensely about who deserves the fourth spot alongside Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar."
Word Nuance & Usage
While technically a geographic location and national memorial, it is frequently used figuratively in modern parlance to represent the top four greatest or most influential figures in any specific category (e.g., 'the Mount Rushmore of rock music').
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The mountain was named in 1885 after Charles E. Rushmore, a New York attorney. The famous colossal monument was sculpted into its granite face by Gutzon Borglum and his son Lincoln Borglum between 1927 and 1941.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.