terrain meaning: definition, etymology

terrain

noun

CA, US, UK /təˈɹeɪn/ · AU, NZ /təˈɹæɪn/

Etymology Unadapted borrowing from French terrain, from Latin terrenum (“land, ground”), neuter of terrenus (“consisting of earth”), from terra (“earth”).

Geography, Geology, Natural sciences A single, distinctive rock formation; an area having a preponderance of a particular rock or group of rocks.

An area of land or its particular features.

The race will be run over a variety of terrain, including grass and sand.

Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The surface of the earth; the ground.

This approach requires the aircraft to stay at an altitude of at least 3000 feet MSL until crossing the VOR in order to maintain terrain clearance.
controlled flight into terrain

1 more example

TOO LOW, TERRAIN

Homeopathy, Medicine, Sciences An individual's overall state of health.

Synonyms: ground
Derived terms: all-terrain, all-terrain vehicle, controlled flight into terrain, height above average terrain, human terrain, linguistic terrain, multiterrain, terrain awareness and warning system, terrain park, terrain theory