monte

Monte is a term used in several Romance languages with meanings related to elevation. In Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, monte or monte sometimes means a hill, mountain, or upland area. The word derives from Latin mons, meaning mountain or mound, and is used both in ordinary speech and in place names.

As a toponym, Monte appears in the names of many geographic features and settlements. There are towns and municipalities simply named Monte, as well as places where Monte forms part of a longer name. The usage is widespread across Italy, Portugal, Spain, and in areas influenced by these languages in the Americas.

In onomastics, Monte is used as both a surname and a given name in various cultures. People bearing the name may derive it from the geographic sense of the word, or from longer family names and historical usage.

In cultural contexts, Monte frequently appears in compound place names and titles borrowed into other languages. The root monte is preserved in related terms and in names such as Monte Carlo or Montevideo, which reflect historical naming patterns that link back to the landscape. See also Monte Carlo, Montevideo, and related root terms derived from montagna or monte.