Fourteeners

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term referring to mountains that reach at least 14,000 feet in elevation; designating a specific classification of peaks highly sought after by hikers and climbers; indicating notable summits that represent significant achievements in outdoor adventure
2. Describing high-altitude mountains that are 14,000 feet or taller; identifying a category of challenging climbs popular among mountaineers; relating to prominent peaks that attract outdoor enthusiasts seeking adventure
3. Referring to elevated formations exceeding 14,000 feet in height; characterizing a group of mountains known for their allure to climbers; denoting significant summits that present both a challenge and reward for adventurers

Etymology: "Fourteeners" is the plural of "fourteener," and the word is a plain formation: "fourteen" plus the suffix "-er," the same ending that turns "hundred" into "hundreder" in older usage or forms words like "threesome" and "fiver" for things grouped or measured by a number. Here the number refers to elevation. A fourteener is a peak whose summit rises at least 14,000 feet above sea level, and the term is used most famously for the high summits of the Rocky Mountains, where Colorado alone has more than fifty. The suffix does its job quietly. Naming a mountain by its height turned a measurement into a category, so that climbers could speak of "bagging" fourteeners as a shared pursuit, much as collectors speak of a set. The plural form simply counts the peaks in that group.