Appalachia

American  

[ap-uh-ley-chuh, -ley-chee-uh, -lach-ee-uh, -lach-uh] / ˌæp əˈleɪ tʃə, -ˈleɪ tʃi ə, -ˈlætʃ i ə, -ˈlætʃ ə /

noun

1. a region in the eastern United States, in the area of the southern Appalachian Mountains, usually including northeastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, western Pennsylvania, and eastern Ohio.

2. Geology. a Paleozoic landmass, the erosion of which provided the sediments to form the rocks of the Appalachian Mountains.

---

Appalachia British  

/ ˌæpəˈleɪtʃɪə /

noun

1. a highland region of the eastern US, containing the Appalachian Mountains, extending from Pennsylvania to Alabama

---

Appalachia Cultural  

1. A mountainous region in the eastern United States, running from northern Alabama to Pennsylvania, and including parts of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and all of West Virginia.

---

Discover More

A major coal-mining center and one of the most impoverished regions of the country.

Etymology

Origin of Appalachia

First recorded in 1920–25; back formation from Appalachian ( def. )

Example Sentences

Her roots are pure Appalachia; growing up in Sandy Hook, Ky., as the daughter of a dentist turned local politician and a mother who played piano for gospel quartets.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

But what most struck the audience was how he spoke of his ongoing commitment to Appalachia, and the place its people occupied in his Rainbow Coalition.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

Soaring demand and frozen gas fields from West Texas to Appalachia led to a record drawdown in U.S. natural-gas supplies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

About 33% of U.S. gas comes from Appalachia.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

As we looked out of the windows Momma checked her notebook, then announced, “This is the Appalachia Mountains. We’re over six thousand feet above sea level, this is higher than we’ve ever been before.”

From "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis