promontory

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English

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Promontory.

Etymology

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From Medieval Latin prōmontōrium, from prō- + *mineō (to project or jut), from Proto-Indo-European *men- (to stand out).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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promontory (plural promontories)

  1. A high point of land extending into a body of water, headland; cliff.
    Synonyms: cliff, headland, hoe
    • 1970, Ken Fitzgerald, The Space Age Photographic Atlas[1], Crown Publishers, page 196:
      South of Hang-chou Wan (Bay) below Shanghai, the China coastline changes from a smooth, flat topography to one of irregular, rocky promontories and numerous islands. Foochow, the Fugiu of Marco Polo, dates from the seventh century. Offshore the Ma-tsu Lieh-tao (Matsu and Pei-kan, or Changshu Islands) are heavily fortified Nationalist strongholds.
  2. (anatomy) A projecting part of the body.
    1. A projection on the sacrum.
    2. A rounded elevation in the tympanum of the ear.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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