What does hilliest mean?
Hilliest means more hilly than any other member of a group or comparison. It describes land characterized by a large number of hills, frequent rises in the ground, or highly uneven terrain. The word is commonly applied to regions, landscapes, courses, and routes: one might speak of the hilliest terrain in a national park, the hilliest part of an island, or the hilliest route chosen for a cycle ride. Although “hilliest” plainly suggests that land contains many hills, it does not necessarily mean that the place has the highest individual elevation. A broad plain with many small hills may be hillier than a single mountain rising from otherwise flat land. The term is the superlative of “hilly” and is especially natural in geographic description, travel writing, hiking guides, and discussion of roads and sporting courses.
adjectiveHaving more hills than any other place or thing in a comparison; most hilly.
- Having the greatest number or concentration of hills among comparable places.
"The route crosses the hilliest terrain in the county."
"We drove through the hilliest part of Wales."
"The island's hilliest trails are closed after heavy rain."
Sometimes the smallest-looking landscape is the hilliest: a place can rise and fall dramatically within only a few kilometres.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hilliest come from?
The word ultimately derives from Old English “hyll,” meaning a natural elevation or mound. In modern English, “hill” developed the adjective “hilly,” and the standard superlative suffix “-est” was then added to form “hilliest.” Related words built from the same inherited root include “hillside,” “hillock,” and “hillfort.”
Related word forms
How hilliest is actually used
This is the superlative form of the adjective “hilly” and is normally used in comparisons involving two or more areas.