monte

mountain; hill; woodland

noun MON-teh Less Common

Origin: From Latin mons, montis, 'mountain'.

Usage Note

Monte is broader than montaña (mountain): it can mean a mountain, a hill, or uncultivated wooded land (el monte bajo, scrubland). In Latin America al monte can mean into the wilderness or bush. The compound monte de piedad is the traditional name for a pawnshop in Spain. Learners expecting it to always mean a tall peak should note the 'woodland/scrub' sense.

Examples

"Subimos al monte para ver el amanecer."

Natural Translation

We climbed the mountain to see the sunrise.

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