hillside

hillside — noun

1. the ground on a hill that slopes between the highest point and the flat area bel

1.nounB1
Definition

the ground on a hill that slopes between the highest point and the flat area below

Example

The old farmhouse stood on a steep hillside above the village.

noun as location with 'on a [adj] hillside'

Ravi planted grapevines on the sunny hillside behind his house.

Common collocations
  • steep hillside
  • rocky hillside
  • sunny hillside
  • wooded hillside
  • terraced hillside
  • hillside village
  • hillside path
  • hillside garden
Synonyms
  • slope

    more general; can refer to any inclined surface, not just a hill

  • incline

    more formal; often used of roads or paths that go upward at an angle

Antonyms
  • hilltop

    refers to the level top surface of a hill

Usage Note

Distinguish from hilltop (the level top surface) and foot of the hill (the flat ground at the bottom). Hillside names only the sloping face between these two points.

Common Mistakes

They built their house on the hilltop.' (when meaning on the slope).
They built their house on the hillside.
Hilltop means the flat area at the very top; hillside means the sloping face.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Hillside, slope, incline, hill, and hilltop all relate to raised ground but differ in focus. Hillside is a compound noun that names the sloping face of a hill specifically — neither the top nor the bottom. Slope is the broadest term, describing any surface that is not level, from a ski slope to a roof. Incline is more formal and often refers to a road or path that goes upward, such as a steep incline on a hiking trail. Hill is the general landform itself — you climb a hill, not a hillside. Hilltop is the flat area at the very peak. For example: 'The cottage was built into the hillside, not on the hilltop.' 'The car struggled to climb the steep incline.' 'The kids rolled down the grassy slope in the park.'

slopeincline ↗hill ↗hilltop ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • on a hillside
  • up a hillside
  • down a hillside

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

A compound word formed from Old English 'hyll' (hill) and 'sīde' (side). The combination has been used since the 14th century to refer specifically to the sloping face of a hill.