hill

1 of 2

noun

ˈhil 

1

: a usually rounded natural elevation of land lower than a mountain

2

: an artificial heap or mound (as of earth)

3

: several seeds or plants planted in a group rather than a row

4

: slope, incline

hill

2 of 2

verb

hilled; hilling; hills

transitive verb

1

: to form into a heap

2

: to draw earth around the roots or base of

hiller noun

Synonyms

Noun

• cock
• heap
• mound
• mountain
• pile
• stack

Verb

• bank
• mound

Examples of hill in a Sentence

Noun

She watched the sun set behind the hills.

The house was built at the very top of the hill.

Our driveway is a long, steep hill.

He came barreling down the hill at 65 miles per hour.

The plows came and cleared the streets, forming a hill of snow on the street corner.

Verb

hilled peat moss around the rosebushes to protect them from the freeze

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The move is the second in as many years for the AFM, which was forced to leave its old home in the Loews in 2023 for a less-than-ideal location up the hill at the Le Meridien Delfina. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024

While Democrats face a steep hill to flipping the state blue in November, the party hopes to flip Scott’s Senate seat this cycle. —The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024

Verb

That’s something Mamaw used to say to describe her or her family … hill people or hillbillies. —Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 15 July 2024

This driveline has terrain response control with selectable driving and off road modes, low traction launch and hill decent control, and a dynamic air suspension system with automatic access height with adaptive dynamics. —Tony Leopardo, The Mercury News, 7 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hyll; akin to Latin collis hill, culmen top

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hill

• a hill of beans
• hill climb
• hill mynah
• over-the-hill

Kids Definition

hill

1 of 2 noun

ˈhil 

1

: a usually rounded height of land lower than a mountain

2

: an artificial heap or mound (as of earth)

3

: several seeds or plants planted in a group rather than a row

a hill of beans

hill

2 of 2 verb

1

: to form into a heap

2

: to draw earth around the roots or base of

Biographical Definition

Hill 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

ˈhil 

Ambrose Powell 1825–1865 American Confederate general

Hill

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Archibald Vivian 1886–1977 English physiologist

Hill

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

James Jerome 1838–1916 American (Canadian-born) financier

Hill

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

Sir Rowland 1795–1879 English postal reformer