Meaning
- Terrain (noun): A stretch or area of land, especially with regard to its physical features, surface, or type of ground. It often refers to the natural characteristics of land such as mountains, valleys, plains, or rough/flat areas.
Grammar and Usage
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Part of speech: Noun (countable/uncountable depending on context).
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Usage: Refers to land and its features, often in relation to travel, military, or geography.
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Typical structure:
- adjective + terrain (e.g., mountainous terrain, rough terrain, desert terrain)
- navigate + terrain
- difficult/challenging/easy terrain
Common Phrases
- Mountainous terrain – land with many mountains.
- Rough terrain – uneven or difficult land surface.
- Flat terrain – level ground.
- Urban terrain – land with many buildings and human structures.
- Desert terrain – dry and sandy land.
Collocations
- adjectives + terrain: rough, rugged, mountainous, hilly, uneven, flat, desert, urban
- verbs + terrain: cross, navigate, cover, travel across, adapt to
- terrain + nouns: terrain features, terrain type, terrain map
Examples
- The soldiers had to move carefully across the rugged terrain.
- This vehicle is designed to handle rough terrain.
- The hikers enjoyed the beautiful mountainous terrain.
- Farming is difficult in such dry desert terrain.
- Engineers studied the terrain before building the bridge.
- Cyclists need strong bikes to ride over uneven terrain.
- The game includes different types of terrain, such as forests and rivers.
- The terrain becomes flatter as you move east.
- Pilots must understand the terrain of the area to avoid accidents.
- Urban planners considered the city’s terrain before designing new roads.
Synonyms or Related
- land
- ground
- landscape
- topography
- countryside
Antonym
- sea
- ocean
- water (in contrast to land-based terrain)