Definition of "butte" [butte]

• Chiefly Western U.S. A hill that rises abruptly from the surrounding area and has sloping sides and a flat top. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The butte is the only tall outcropping for several miles, so climbing it permits one to survey a very broad area."
• "The butte was a holy place; men came there seeking visions."
• "The butte was a strong point that the Council of Masters would very much like to take back."