cordillera Meaning, Definition & Usage

Cor*dil"ler*a noun

Etymology

Sp., fr. OSp. cordilla, cordiella, dim. of cuerda a rope, string. See Cord.

Definitions

1. (Geol.) A mountain ridge or chain. ✍ Cordillera is sometimes applied, in geology, to the system of mountain chains near the border of a continent; thus, the western cordillera of North America in the United States includes the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Coast and Cascade ranges.