sierra
Jagged mountain chain
Sierra means a jagged mountain range, from the Spanish word for saw—the peaks resembling saw teeth.
The term appears in place names throughout the American West and Latin America: the Sierra Nevada, the Sierra Madre.
In the NATO phonetic alphabet, sierra represents the letter S.
We could see the sierra rising in the distance. (Capitalized Sierra is a given name and appears in place names.)
Extent of variation
- ridgeNarrow raised strip
- crestHighest point or tuft
- snowcappedCovered in summit ice
- graniteIgneous rock, quartz-rich
peaks · watershed · timberline · treeline · backcountry · batholith · escarpment · foothills
Tough and uneven
- graniteIgneous rock, quartz-rich
- canyonDeep river-cut gorge
- gorgeDeep, narrow valley
- valleyLow ground between heights
cliff · escarpment · boulder · slope · elevation · topography · alpine · subalpine
range
Extent of variation
- ridgeNarrow raised strip
- crestHighest point or tuft
- snowcappedCovered in summit ice
granite · peaks · watershed · timberline · treeline · backcountry · batholith · escarpment · foothills
rugged
Tough and uneven
valley · cliff · escarpment · boulder · slope · elevation · topography · alpine · subalpine · meadow
mackerel
Swift, oily ocean fish
alpha
First Greek letter
foxtrot · tango · uniform · victor · whiskey · NATO · alphabet · radio · aviation · military
- Sierra NevadaWestern U.S. mountain range
- Sierra LeoneWest African country, capital Freetown
- Sierra ClubEnvironmental advocacy organization
- High SierraEastern California mountain range
- GMC SierraAmerican full-size pickup
- Sierra MistCitrus-flavored carbonated beverage