hilly

Imagine driving through the countryside: if the land keeps rising and falling in small or moderate slopes, you're moving through hilly terrain. A hilly area is not mountainous, but it is clearly not flat. Think of the Shire from The Lord of the Rings, with its soft green rises and dips. You might describe a walk as "a hilly hike," meaning you will spend the trip going up and down again and again. It is a good word for any landscape that feels like a slow wave of earth.

The word "hilly" describes land that has many hills. These raised areas are higher than the land around them, but they are not as tall or steep as mountains. The word brings to mind rolling landscapes, gentle slopes, and ground that does not stay level for long. To picture it clearly, think of the difference between a broad flat plain and a countryside that keeps rising and dipping.

Hilly terrain can create challenges for roads, houses, and farming, because building on uneven ground takes extra planning. At the same time, such places are often seen as beautiful because they offer changing views and varied natural spaces. You might describe a place like San Francisco as "a hilly city," where streets go up and down steep slopes. In the same way, a "hilly plot of land" is not level and may need extra work before something can be built on it.

Most often, "hilly" is used for real places and physical landscapes. It can be used in a poetic or metaphorical way, but that is less common. In those cases, it suggests something with many ups and downs. Whether you are talking about a road, a hike, a town, or a wide stretch of countryside, "hilly" gives the sense of land that keeps lifting and falling instead of staying flat.