highland
highland — adjective
1. located in or belonging to a region of hills or mountains, where the land is hig
located in or belonging to a region of hills or mountains, where the land is higher than the surrounding country.
The village sits on highland terrain with cooler air than the valley below.
highland terrain: noun + noun compound
Farmers in this region raise sheep on the highland pastures during the summer months.
The group planned a three-day trek across the highland plateau between the two rivers.
Highland villages here rely on solar power because the main grid is too costly.
- mountainous
broader term; 'mountainous' can describe land with steep peaks, while 'highland' suggests a plateau or elevated region.
- upland
more technical in geography; 'upland' is often used in contrast with 'lowland' in scientific writing.
- alpine
specifically refers to high mountain regions above the tree line, narrower in scope than 'highland'.
- lowland
refers to land at or near sea level, the opposite of highland terrain.
用法筆記
This sense is typically used before a noun (attributive position). It describes general mountainous areas anywhere in the world, not just Scotland.
2. connected with the mountainous region in northern Scotland that is known as the
connected with the mountainous region in northern Scotland that is known as the Highlands, especially its culture, landscape, or traditions.
The couple spent their honeymoon exploring the Highland glens and lochs of northern Scotland.
Highland glens / Highland lochs: geography-specific collocations
A Highland pipe band in tartan kilts marched through the village square during the festival.
Highland pipe band: typical cultural compound
The autumn heather turned the Highland hillsides near Loch Ness a deep purple each September.
Many visitors come to attend the Highland games, where athletes compete in traditional Scottish sports.
用法筆記
When referring to the Scottish Highlands, 'Highland' is often capitalised. This sense appears in fixed cultural terms such as 'Highland games', 'Highland dress', and 'Highland dancing'.
3. describing a hardy breed of cattle with long, shaggy hair and long horns that wa
describing a hardy breed of cattle with long, shaggy hair and long horns that was originally raised in the Scottish Highlands.
The farmer keeps a herd of Highland cattle that thrive in cold weather.
Highland cattle: fixed compound noun
Highland cows are known for their long, shaggy coats and impressive curved horns.
The farmer showed a fluffy Highland calf with its first set of horns at the livestock show.
The restaurant's menu features Highland beef steaks from a family-run farm in Argyll.
用法筆記
Always capitalised and used as part of a compound noun (Highland cow, Highland cattle, Highland bull). This sense does not appear on its own.
highland — noun
1. the part of northern Scotland that has been governed as a single administrative
the part of northern Scotland that has been governed as a single administrative district since boundaries were redrawn in 1996.
The Highlands stretch from Loch Lomond to John o' Groats, with dramatic scenery along the way.
the Highlands: proper noun with geographic span
The railway line to Inverness opened the Highlands to Victorian tourists from Edinburgh.
the Highlands: as a destination opened by infrastructure
The council secured funding to repair the A9 road through the Highlands after winter storms.
Landscape painters travel to the Highlands to capture the misty peaks of Glen Coe.
用法筆記
Always used with a capital 'H' and almost always in the plural form 'the Highlands'. When referring to the region as a whole, it takes a singular verb.
2. an area of land that is higher than the surrounding countryside, such as a mount
an area of land that is higher than the surrounding countryside, such as a mountainous or hilly region.
The highlands of Ethiopia rise sharply from the surrounding lowland plains.
the highlands of [country]: geographic pattern
Early settlers built their villages on the highlands to avoid flooding in the rainy season.
The highlands of the Andes stretch across Peru and Bolivia, with villages at over 3,000 metres elevation.
The rolling highlands of central Kenya sit at an elevation that keeps the climate cool year-round.
- lowland
land that is low or flat compared with the surrounding area.
用法筆記
In this general sense, 'highland' is typically uncapitalised. It is often used in the plural form 'highlands' when referring to a broad region.