highlands: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Geographic, Literary
Quick answer
What does “highlands” mean?
An area of high or mountainous land.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An area of high or mountainous land.
A region of elevated terrain, typically used as a proper noun to refer to specific mountainous areas (e.g., Scottish Highlands), or metaphorically to describe elevated, culturally distinct, or less populated regions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'Highlands' almost exclusively refers to the Scottish Highlands. In the US, it is used generically for mountainous regions (e.g., Southern Highlands) and rarely capitalised unless part of a proper name.
Connotations
UK: Strong cultural, historical, and scenic associations with Scotland. US: More neutral geographic descriptor, sometimes implying remoteness or wilderness.
Frequency
Far more frequent in UK English due to the iconic status of the Scottish Highlands.
Grammar
How to Use “highlands” in a Sentence
the highlands of [country/region]in the highlandstravel to the highlandsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “highlands” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- Highland cattle
- a Highland games event
American English
- highland ecology
- a highland climate zone
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; may appear in tourism (e.g., 'Highlands whisky tours').
Academic
Used in geography, history, and cultural studies.
Everyday
Discussing travel, scenery, or Scottish culture.
Technical
In geology/geography to denote a specific type of elevated landform.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “highlands”
- Using it as a singular noun ('a highland') for the region; it is almost always 'the highlands'. Confusing 'Highlands' (proper noun) with 'highlands' (common noun).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is grammatically plural ('the highlands are...') even when referring to a single region.
Rarely. 'Highland' as a singular countable noun is unusual except in compound adjectives (e.g., highland cow) or specific technical terms. The area is almost always 'the highlands'.
'Mountains' refer to the individual peaks. 'Highlands' refers to a large, expansive region of high, often mountainous, terrain.
Yes, many countries have highlands (e.g., Ethiopian Highlands, Central Highlands of Vietnam). The term is generic, but in English, 'the Highlands' most commonly denotes Scotland's.
An area of high or mountainous land.
Highlands is usually formal, geographic, literary in register.
Highlands: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪləndz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪləndz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Highland fling (a Scottish dance)”
- “highland clearances (historical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'high lands' – lands that are high up.
Conceptual Metaphor
The highlands as a place of purity, challenge, isolation, or cultural preservation.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'Highlands' most likely to be capitalised?