butte

¹

[ byoot ]

noun

, Western U.S. and Canada.

1. an isolated hill or mountain rising abruptly above the surrounding land.

Butte

²

[ byoot ]

noun

1. a city in SW Montana: mining center.

butte

/ bjuːt /

noun

1. an isolated steep-sided flat-topped hill

butte

/ byo̅o̅t /

1. A steep-sided hill with a flat top, often standing alone in an otherwise flat area. A butte is smaller than a mesa.

Word History and Origins

Origin of butte¹

1650–60, Americanism; < North American French; French: low hill, mound, Old French: landmark, target, apparently feminine derivative of but butt ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of butte¹

C19: from French, from Old French bute mound behind a target, from but target; see butt ²

Example Sentences

In the far reaches of the reservation in Northeastern Arizona, near where the red-rock buttes of Monument Valley rise above the desert floor, indoor plumbing can feel like a luxury.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2003, the state of California spent about $3 million to buy 1,800 acres on the north side of the buttes, including an idyllic stretch of emerald called “Peace Valley.”

From Los Angeles Times

While the scene’s arid landscape conjures up past “Mad Max” adventures, the buttes and the galloping horse evoke the classic westerns from which this series has drawn some of its mythopoetic force.

From New York Times

Borgquist assures me as we drive to the top that I’ll soon understand why this steep butte is perfect for energy storage.

From Los Angeles Times

Gone were the photographers who climbed the butte overlooking the practice facility — known as Shohei Mountain — to get aerial shots of Ohtani’s arrival.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• alp
• bluff
• cliff
• crag
• elevation
• eminence
• height
• mesa
• mount
• palisade
• peak
• pike
• precipice
• range
• ridge
• sierra
• tor
• volcano