terrain

Etymology

Borrowed from French terrain, from Latin terrenum (“land, ground”), neuter of terrenus (“consisting of earth”), from terra (“earth”).

noun

1. (geology) A single, distinctive rock formation; an area having a preponderance of a particular rock or group of rocks.
2. An area of land or the particular features of it.
   The race will be run over a variety of terrain, including grass and sand.
3. (chiefly aviation) The surface of the earth; the ground.
   This approach requires the aircraft to stay at an altitude of at least 3000 feet MSL until crossing the VOR in order to maintain terrain clearance.
   controlled flight into terrain
   TOO LOW, TERRAIN