Nilgiri

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A range of mountains in southern India known for their scenic beauty and tea plantations; a type of aromatic blue sheep native to the region; a genus of plants including several species suited to high-altitude climates
2. A mountainous area in the Indian subcontinent famed for lush landscapes and tea production; a blue-hued wild sheep species found in these hills; a category of flora adapted to cool, elevated habitats
3. A prominent hill range in South India celebrated for its natural environment and tea crops; a distinctive blue sheep species indigenous to these elevations; a group of plants thriving in mountainous terrain and cooler temperatures

Etymology: The Nilgiri Hills take their name from the Tamil "nīlakiri", which joins "nīla", meaning blue, and "giri", meaning mountain. The name describes the hills as they often appear from the plains below: a blue-tinged mass rising over the surrounding country, a reading that fits the range's frequent cloud and mist. The same name was later carried over to the blue sheep of the region and to a genus of plants, so one Tamil compound now labels a landscape, an animal and a group of flowering plants.

Synonyms: blue mountain, Nilgiri hills