Mendip

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A range of limestone hills in the English county of Somerset, famous for its caves and gorges such as Cheddar Gorge
2. An upland chain of limestone hills located in Somerset in southwest England, known for dramatic gorges and underground caverns
3. A limestone ridge in southwestern England, within Somerset, noted for its caves and the steep cliffs of its famous gorge

Etymology: Mendip is a range of limestone hills in Somerset, England, and the word now names things connected with them, most famously the Mendip Hills' caves and the local geology. The hills themselves give the name its whole meaning, so the word is a plain place name turned into an adjective and noun rather than a coinage with a separate story behind it. The word is simply the name of the hills, and anything "Mendip" in English takes its sense from that landscape. Its usage is restricted to this region and its features, which is why it appears mainly in geological and regional contexts.