# hinterland

/ˈhɪntɝˌɫænd/ (US) · /hˈɪntələnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hinterland
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. inland region

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the area of land that is behind a coast or far from the main cities.

For teachers: the remote or inland region lying behind a coast or a district served by a port or city.

- The small port depends on the hinterland for its supply of agricultural goods.
- The economic development of the coastal city was inextricably linked to the resources extracted from its vast agricultural hinterland.

Usage: Often used in the singular with 'the'.

### 2. remote area

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a place that is far away from where most people live and is not very developed.

For teachers: a remote or undeveloped area located far from urban centres.

- They spent weeks travelling through the snowy hinterland of the north.
- The explorers ventured deep into the frozen hinterland, far beyond the reach of any established communication networks.

### 3. hidden character or knowledge

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

the parts of a person's life, mind, or a subject that are not well known.

For teachers: the unknown, unexplored, or obscure areas of a person's character, history, or a field of knowledge.

- The biography explores the intellectual hinterland that influenced the writer's famous novels.
- The interview failed to reveal anything of the politician's cultural hinterland, focusing instead on immediate policy concerns.

Teaching tip: This figurative sense is common in British political journalism to describe a person's interests outside of their main job.

## Examples

- The city's hinterland is mostly farmland.
- The expansion of the highway allowed the city to reach its hinterland more quickly, changing the local economy.
- While the coastal metropolis thrives on tourism, its hinterland remains a quiet, agricultural region where traditional farming methods have persisted for centuries.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.