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Glite Dictionary
Apennine Mountains

Apennine Mountains

1 5.1
A long mountain range that runs down the middle of Italy
  • proper noun
  • /ˈæpəˌnaɪn ˈmaʊntɪnz/
: Montes Apeninos
  • The Apennine Mountains stretch the length of Italy, creating a backbone for the country.

Examples

  • Researchers discovered several new plant species high in the Apennine Mountains.

  • The Apennine Mountains form a natural backbone running through the center of Italy.

  • Snow can be seen covering the Apennine Mountains during the winter months.

  • The Apennine Mountains are known for their stunning landscapes.

  • Did you visit the Apennine Mountains during your trip to Italy?

  • The scenery is breathtaking as we hike through the rugged terrain of the Apennine Mountains in Italy.

  • Many charming villages are nestled in the valleys of the Apennine Mountains.

Synonyms

Apennines
vsApennine Mountains
1 7.4

A mountain range that runs along the Italian peninsula

is the same meaning but uses plain geographic wording without the metaphor

Surface Forms

Apennine Mountains main

Morphology

Apennine + mountain

The headword includes a toponym 'Apennine' (not semantically decomposable) combined with the transparent noun 'mountains', so a learner who knows the parts will recognize this refers to a named set of mountains but will not be able to infer the specific geographic information (Italian peninsula) from the constituents alone. Toponyms are language-specific labels, so the construction is partly transparent (the referent is mountains) but opaque regarding its precise location and conventional name meaning.

Etymology

Apennine Mountains may come from an old word like 'pen' that meant 'hill' or 'mountain' to people long ago. So the name gives a clear picture: the Apennine Mountains are a long line of hills that form the 'backbone' of Italy, which is why we use this name today.