Mound

Pronunciation

• IPA: /maÊŠnd/
• Rhymes: -aÊŠnd

Origin

From earlier meaning "hedge, fence", from Middle English mound, mund ("protection, boundary, raised earthen rampart"), from Old English mund ("hand, hand of protection, protector, guardianship"), from Proto-Germanic *mundō ("hand"), *munduz ("protection, patron"), from Proto-Indo-European *men-, *man-, *mar- ("hand"). Cognate with Old Frisian mund ("guardianship"), Old High German munt ("hand, protection") (German Mündel ("ward"), Vormund ("a guardian")), Old Norse mund (Icelandic mund, "hand")), Middle Dutch mond ("protection"), Latin manus ("hand"), Ancient Greek μάρη (márē, "hand").

Noun

1. (obsolete, anatomy, measurement, figuratively) A hand.
2. (obsolete) A protection; restraint; curb.
3. (obsolete) A helmet.
4. (obsolete) Might; size.
5. An artificial hill or elevation of earth; a raised bank; an embankment thrown up for defense; a bulwark; a rampart.
6. A natural elevation appearing as if thrown up artificially; a regular and isolated hill, hillock, or knoll.
7. (baseball) Elevated area of dirt upon which the pitcher stands to pitch.
8. A ball or globe forming part of the regalia of an emperor or other sovereign. It is encircled with bands, enriched with precious stones, and surmounted with a cross.
9. (US, vulgar, slang) The mons veneris.

Synonyms

• (part of regalia) globus cruciger, globe, orb

Derived terms

• shaftmound

Full definition of mound

Verb

1. (transitive) To fortify with a mound; add a barrier, rampart, etc. to.
2. (transitive) To force or pile into a mound or mounds.He mounded up his mashed potatoes so they left more space on the plate for the meat.