Pakaraima

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mountain range in the Guiana Highlands of northern South America, stretching across parts of Guyana and neighbouring regions
2. The upland chain of mountains in western Guyana that forms part of the rugged Guiana Highlands in northern South America
3. A system of highlands in northern South America, lying largely within Guyana and known for its rugged terrain and tepuis

Etymology: The name belongs to a mountain range in the Guiana Highlands of northern South America, stretching along the border region of Guyana and Venezuela. Its eastern end meets the tripoint where Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana converge, near the famous table-topped Mount Roraima. The range is a geographical name rather than a word that has passed through the usual European channels into English. Its exact meaning and derivation are uncertain. What is clear is that the name was applied to the mountains by outsiders who learned it from local peoples, and that it has since been adopted in the official maps and place names of the countries that share the range.