Promontory Meaning
/ˈpɹɒm.ən.tɹi/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA high point of land extending into a body of water, headland; cliff.
nounA projecting part of the body., A projection on the sacrum.
Sentence Examples
The boat sailed around the promontory.
There's a cave on the promontory.
Be like a promontory against which waves endlessly come to break.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Standing on the rocky ____, we had a clear view of the ocean.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The lighthouse stood on a rocky ____ overlooking the sea, warning ships of the dangerous coastline.
Word Origin & History
From Medieval Latin prōmontōrium, from prōmineō, from prō- + *mineō (“to project or jut”, from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to stand out”)) + -tōrium (“place”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Leaving behind us the town at the bottom of its deep bay, we set out to explore a bluff-headed parallelogramical promontory, bounded by Thurso Bay on the one hand, and Murkle Bay on the other, and which presents to the open sea, in the space that stretches between, an undulating line of iron-bound coast, exposed to the roll of the northern ocean."
— 1857, Hugh Miller, The Cruise of the Betsey:
"South of Hang-chou Wan (Bay) below Shanghai, the China coastline changes from a smooth, flat topography to one of irregular, rocky promontories and numerous islands. Foochow, the Fugiu of Marco Polo, dates from the seventh century. Offshore the Ma-tsu Lieh-tao (Matsu and Pei-kan, or Changshu Islands) are heavily fortified Nationalist strongholds."
— 1970, Ken Fitzgerald, The Space Age Photographic Atlas, Crown Publishers, page 196:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Standing on the rocky ____, we had a clear view of the ocean.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The lighthouse stood on a rocky ____ overlooking the sea, warning ships of the dangerous coastline.