Himalayan

1 of 2

adjective

Hi·​ma·​la·​yan ˌhi-mə-ˈlā-ən 

hi-ˈmäl-yən,

-ˈmä-lē-ən 

1

: of, relating to, or resembling the Himalayas

2

: enormously large : mountainous

a task of Himalayan proportions

Himalayan

2 of 2

noun

: any of a breed of domestic cats developed by crossing the Persian and the Siamese and having the stocky build and long thick coat of the former and the blue eyes and coat patterns of the latter

Illustration of Himalayan

Synonyms

Adjective

• astronomical
• astronomic
• Brobdingnagian
• bumper
• colossal
• cosmic
• cosmical
• cyclopean
• elephantine
• enormous
• galactic
• gargantuan
• giant
• gigantesque
• gigantic
• grand
• herculean
• heroic
• heroical
• huge
• humongous
• humungous
• immense
• jumbo
• king-size
• king-sized
• leviathan
• mammoth
• massive
• mega
• mighty
• monster
• monstrous
• monumental
• mountainous
• oceanic
• pharaonic
• planetary
• prodigious
• super
• super-duper
• supersize
• supersized
• titanic
• tremendous
• vast
• vasty
• walloping
• whacking
• whopping

Examples of Himalayan in a Sentence

Adjective

as military blunders go, the disastrous Pickett's Charge was of Himalayan proportions

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Rodent activity was observed at these five restaurants: Himalayan Mart 1, 501 N. Saginaw Blvd., Saginaw, TX 76179, Score: 79 Busy Bs Bakery And Donuts, 3919 Colleyville Blvd. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2025

Due to Paro’s challenging location between two Himalayan peaks, strong monsoon-season winds and lack of runway lighting, only a few small aircraft a day can fly in or out, all of which are short-hauls from nearby Asian cities like New Delhi and Bangkok. —Lilit Marcus, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025

Black Himalayan salt: This is the most common type of black salt, known for its pungent and savory flavor. —Lindsey Desoto, Health, 12 Mar. 2025

The brand’s technical prowess was clearly visible in its exclusive version of the iconic Empreinte bag, crafted from Himalayan crocodile and enriched with real pearls set in its signature sculptural metal handle. —Lily Templeton, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1949, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Himalayan

• layin
• rayon
• malayan
• nuclein
• verstehen

Kids Definition

Himalayan

1 of 2 adjective

Hi·​ma·​la·​yan ˌhim-ə-ˈlā-ən  him-ˈäl-(ə-)yən 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Himalaya Mountains

Himalayan

2 of 2 noun

: any of a breed of stocky blue-eyed domestic cats that have a long thick coat and a pale body with darker ears, paws, tail, and face