Rockbound

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Marked by a region that is enclosed within rocky formations
2. Describing a setting that is limited by the presence of rocks which hinder accessibility
3. Characterized by terrain entirely enclosed by rocky barriers that restrict movement

Etymology: "Rockbound" is a plain compound: "rock" joined to "bound," the past participle of "bind," so the adjective literally describes something bound or hemmed in by rock. The image is of a coast, harbour or valley shut in by stone on every side, so that the land seems held in a stony grip. The "bound" here is the same sense found in "homebound" or "snowbound," where a place is confined or cut off by some outside condition. Pairing it with "rock" gives the sense of a shoreline or inlet fenced off by cliffs and reefs, the kind of setting that once made a harbour hard to enter or leave.

Synonyms: rugged, craggy