Dhaulagiri

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A major peak in the Dhaulagiri range of the Himalayas in central Nepal, one of the highest mountains on Earth
2. The towering Himalayan summit located in Nepal that rises to over eight thousand metres above sea level
3. A famous mountain of the Himalayan chain in Nepal, known for its great height and challenging climbing routes

Etymology: Dhaulagiri is the name of a Himalayan peak in central Nepal, and it is a plain descriptive compound from Sanskrit. "Dhavala" means "white," and "giri" means "mountain," so the name translates as "white mountain," a fitting label for a summit that stays snow-covered year-round. The English form came through European mapping of the Himalaya. Surveyors working for the British in India measured the peak and recorded its height, and the name was carried into English maps and writing in the process. Its spelling in English reflects the transliteration choices of those surveys, which is why the English form differs somewhat from the Nepali pronunciation.