forest hills: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low-medium (common as a proper noun in US contexts, rare as a generic descriptor).
UK/ˈfɒr.ɪst hɪlz/US/ˈfɔːr.ɪst hɪlz/

Primarily proper noun (capitalized). Generic use is neutral/informal.

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Quick answer

What does “forest hills” mean?

A specific place name, most commonly referring to the district or neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A specific place name, most commonly referring to the district or neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City.

Can be used generically to describe a landscape or residential area characterized by wooded hills, or to refer to other places named Forest Hills.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

In the UK, 'Forest Hills' is not a major place name. Generic usage is possible but uncommon. In the US, it is strongly associated with the NYC neighborhood.

Connotations

In the US, it often connotes a specific urban/suburban neighborhood (NYC). In a UK/global context, it could be a descriptive name for a housing estate or area.

Frequency

Far more frequent in American English due to the prominence of the NYC location.

Grammar

How to Use “forest hills” in a Sentence

[Proper Noun] is located in...They live in [Proper Noun].

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
Forest Hills, Queenslive in Forest HillsForest Hills Gardens
medium
the Forest Hills areaForest Hills station
weak
a forest hills developmentbeautiful forest hills

Examples

Examples of “forest hills” in a Sentence

verb

British English

  • N/A

American English

  • N/A

adverb

British English

  • N/A

American English

  • N/A

adjective

British English

  • N/A

American English

  • N/A

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Used in real estate (e.g., 'property values in Forest Hills').

Academic

Rare; might appear in urban studies or geography concerning NYC.

Everyday

Used as a place name when discussing locations in NYC.

Technical

N/A

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “forest hills”

Strong

[specific synonyms only for the NYC location] N/A

Neutral

wooded hillshilly woodland

Weak

green suburbtree-lined neighborhood

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “forest hills”

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “forest hills”

  • Not capitalizing it when referring to the specific place ('I visited forest hills').
  • Using it as a common noun when the specific place is intended.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, when referring to the specific place. In generic descriptive use (rare), it may not be.

It is possible but very uncommon ('their house was nestled among forest hills'). It functions almost exclusively as a proper noun.

The neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City, USA. It was historically known for the West Side Tennis Club which hosted the US Open.

For the NYC location, use the transliteration 'Форест-Хилс'. Do not translate it literally unless you are deliberately describing a generic landscape of wooded hills ('лесистые холмы').

A specific place name, most commonly referring to the district or neighborhood in the borough of Queens, New York City.

Forest hills is usually primarily proper noun (capitalized). generic use is neutral/informal. in register.

Forest hills: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɒr.ɪst hɪlz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɔːr.ɪst hɪlz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • N/A

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'A forest on hills' = Forest Hills. For the NYC location: 'The US Open tennis was once held in Forest Hills.'

Conceptual Metaphor

N/A as a proper noun. Generically: NATURE IS A REFUGE (a peaceful, green residential area).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The famous stadium in Queens used to host the US Open tennis tournament.
Multiple Choice

What is 'Forest Hills' most commonly understood as in American English?