sierran

sierran
si·er·ra (sē-ĕr’ə)
n. 1) A rugged range of mountains having an irregular or jagged profile. 2) Any of several mackerels of the genus Scomberomorus, especially S. sierra of warm Pacific coastal waters of the Americas.
╂ [Spanish, saw, sierra, from Latin serra, saw.]
si·er’ran adj.
Word History: In English, the word sierra is probably best known for the names of certain mountain ranges, such as the Sierra Nevada (in Spanish, the "snowy sierra") of Spain, the similarly named Sierra Nevada of Eastern California, and the Sierra Madre (the "mother sierra") of Mexico. The English word sierra, "rugged range of mountains having an irregular or jagged profile," is a borrowing of Spanish sierra. In Spanish, sierra literally means "saw," but the word is also used in the extended meaning "line or group of mountains with a jagged profile." As a further example of how a word meaning "saw" can become a word meaning "mountain range," we need only mention the Sawtooth Mountains of central Idaho.

Word Histories. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

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  • sierran — I. sēˈerən adjective Etymology: sierra (I) + an 1. : of or relating to a sierra, the region around it, or its inhabitants 2. usually capitalized : of or relating to the Sierra Nevada mountains of the western U.S. the Rocky …   Useful english dictionary

  • sierran — adjective Date: 1873 1. of or relating to a sierra < sierran foothills > 2. capitalized of or relating to the Sierra Nevada Mountains of the western United States …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Sierran Elaenia — Taxobox name = Sierran Elaenia status = LC | status system = IUCN3.1 regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Passeriformes familia = Tyrannidae genus = Elaenia species = E. pallatangae binomial = Elaenia pallatangae binomial… …   Wikipedia

  • Sierran Arc — In early Triassic time, an extensive volcanic arc system, called the Sierran Arc began to develop along the western margin of the North American continent. In Southern California, this volcanic arc would develop throughout the Mesozoic Era to… …   Wikipedia

  • Sierran elaenia — paljatanginė elenija statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Elaenia pallatangae angl. Sierran elaenia vok. Sierraolivtyrann, m rus. паллатангская эления, f pranc. élénie de Pallatanga, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas – tikrosios… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Sierran — noun Date: 1906 a native or inhabitant of the region around the Sierra Nevada Mountains …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sierran — See sierra. * * * …   Universalium

  • sierran — si·er·ran …   English syllables

  • Sierra Nevada subalpine zone — The Sierra Nevada subalpine zone refers to a biotic zone below treeline in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, United States. This zoneis positioned between the upper montane zone (such as red fir forest) at its lower limit, and tree… …   Wikipedia

  • Geology of the Grand Teton area — The geology of the Grand Teton area consists of some of the oldest rocks and one of the youngest mountain ranges in North America. The Teton Range, mostly located in Grand Teton National Park, started to grow some 9 million years ago. An older… …   Wikipedia

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