Word
promontory
Phoneticspromon·to·ry
UK/pɹˈɒməntəɹˌi/
Definition
n. a high, steep piece of land that sticks out into the water. It is like a large cliff or a tall hill that looks over the sea.
n. a high, steep, or precipitous piece of land projecting into the sea or a large body of water. Often used in geological or maritime contexts to describe a prominent headland.
Examples
“The lighthouse stands on a high promontory overlooking the coast.”
“The ship anchored safely in the bay, protected from the storm by the massive promontory on the western shore.”
“The ancient ruins were discovered atop a rugged promontory, suggesting that the settlement was chosen for its defensive advantages and panoramic views of the surrounding archipelago.”
Examples
simple
“The lighthouse stands on a high promontory overlooking the coast.”
contextual
“The ship anchored safely in the bay, protected from the storm by the massive promontory on the western shore.”
complex
“The ancient ruins were discovered atop a rugged promontory, suggesting that the settlement was chosen for its defensive advantages and panoramic views of the surrounding archipelago.”
Real-World Examples
“Artistic reconstruction of the Ras el-Kelb promontory 400,000 years ago, illustrating the ecological mosaic of Mediterranean woodland, open patches, and coastal zones.” “From this vantage, the Cordouan lighthouse is unmissable on its lonely promontory, though Palais’ residents seem only dimly aware of its faithful watch.” “Sitting on a promontory, Talamone is a setting made for speedboat chases.” Etymology
From Medieval Latin prōmontōrium, from prōmineō, from prō- + mineō (“to project or jut”, from Proto-Indo-European men- (“to stand out”)) + -tōrium (“place”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/promontory