alpine

alpine — adjective

1. found in, typical of, or linked with very high mountain country.

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

found in, typical of, or linked with very high mountain country.

Example

Tiny purple flowers covered the alpine meadow behind the mountain hut.

alpine meadow

Strong winds make alpine lakes colder even in late summer.

alpine lake

Common collocations
  • alpine meadow
  • alpine lake
  • alpine forest
  • alpine animals
Synonyms
  • mountain

    broader and more general; it does not suggest very high elevations

  • high-altitude

    focuses on height rather than the full mountain environment

  • montane

    more technical and common in geography or biology

Antonyms
  • lowland

    used for areas at much lower elevation

Grammar Patterns

alpine meadow / lake / forest / animal

Usage Note

Usually lowercase in this sense and most often used with natural features, weather, plants, and animals. Distinguish from sibling sense 2 (THE ALPS), which points to the Alps specifically rather than high mountains in general.

Common Mistakes

The guide called every hill near town alpine.
The guide used alpine for the high mountains above the tree line.
this sense is for very high mountain environments, not any small hill.

2. connected with the Alps, including its landscape, people, or culture.

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

connected with the Alps, including its landscape, people, or culture.

Example

The train passed through small Alpine villages on its way to Milan.

Alpine village

An Alpine guide showed us the safest path across the snowy pass.

Alpine guide

Common collocations
  • Alpine village
  • Alpine pass
  • Alpine guide
  • Alpine cheese
Synonyms
  • mountain

    broader and not tied to the Alps in particular

  • Swiss

    only fits Switzerland, not the whole Alpine region

Grammar Patterns

Alpine village / pass / guide

Usage Note

Often capitalized when it directly means 'of the Alps'. Distinguish from sibling sense 1 (HIGH MOUNTAINS), which is usually lowercase and can describe similar places in mountain regions outside Europe.

Common Mistakes

We stayed in an alpine village near Innsbruck.
We stayed in an Alpine village near Innsbruck.
capitalize it when you mean the Alps specifically.

3. used for skiing and ski races done by going down steep slopes, not by travelling

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

used for skiing and ski races done by going down steep slopes, not by travelling across open snow.

Example

Lena bought new boots for the alpine race next Saturday.

alpine race

The resort offers alpine lessons for children who can already stop safely.

alpine lessons

Common collocations
  • alpine skiing
  • alpine race
  • alpine team
  • alpine lesson
Synonyms
  • downhill

    the most direct everyday equivalent, especially in 'downhill skiing'

  • ski-racing

    narrower; refers mainly to competition rather than the general sport

Antonyms
  • Nordic

    used for cross-country and related skiing styles on flatter snow

Grammar Patterns

alpine skiing

alpine race / team / lesson

Usage Note

Usually appears before nouns such as 'skiing', 'race', 'team', or 'lesson'. Distinguish from 'cross-country' or 'Nordic' skiing, which happens on flatter ground and belongs to a different style.

Common Mistakes

We did alpine skiing across the flat field.
We did cross-country skiing across the flat field.
alpine skiing means going downhill on mountain slopes.

alpine — noun

Word family

  • alpinist
    nounC2
  • subalpine
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For sense 1, 'alpine' suggests the natural world of very high mountains: alpine lakes, alpine grass, alpine animals. 'Mountain' is broader and works for anything connected with mountains, even lower slopes or towns nearby. 'High-altitude' focuses on height itself and is common when people talk about air, training, or sickness, not always about a whole landscape. 'Montane' is more technical and often appears in geography, ecology, or academic writing. So an 'alpine meadow' brings to mind a cold, open area high up the mountain, while a 'mountain village' could stand much lower. You might say 'alpine flowers were growing beside the hut', but 'the runners needed high-altitude training before the race'.

alpine ↗mountain ↗high-altitudemontane

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

English took 'alpine' from Anglo-French and Latin forms meaning 'of the Alps'. The Latin adjective was 'Alpinus', built from 'Alpes', the name of the mountain range. Over time, English widened the word, so it can still mean 'connected with the Alps' but also more generally 'connected with very high mountains'.