Word of the Week: cordillera (kôr-dl-YÂR-ə)

Definition

(Noun) A mountain chain or ridge, one of a series of parallel ridges; in plural applied originally by the Spanish to the parallel chains of the Andes in South America (las Cordilleras de los Andes), subsequently extended to the continuation of the same system through Central America and Mexico.

In Context

“A ride of seven hours across grassy plains covered with herbage, with patches of snow here and there, and ranges of hills with fine masses of rocks, forming a setting to the distant peaks of the cordillera, brought us to the post-house of Pati.”

Clements R. Markham, Travels in Peru and India, 1862.