montée

Montée is a French noun (feminine) derived from monter, meaning to climb, mount, or rise. It denotes an upward movement or elevation in a range of senses and contexts. In everyday use, montée commonly refers to the act of climbing a hill or mountain, or more generally to any ascent.

The term is widely used to describe increases or upward trends. Examples include a montée des eaux (rising waters), a montée des prix (price increases), or a montée in temperature or numerical figures. In sports and terrain description, montée often designates a climb in a route or course, such as a long or steep section in cycling, running, or skiing. In geography, it can refer to an incline or slope of land.

In the arts, montée can indicate a rising progression or build-up. In music or theatre, it may describe a mounting tension or a melodic/harmonic ascent. In ballet, montée is a specific technical movement: a rise from a demi-plié to a relevé on the demi-pointe or pointe, used to transition between steps and phrases.

As a loanword, montée appears in French-language discourse across disciplines and, in English-language usage, may be employed directly in specialized contexts or translated as ascent, rise, or buildup depending on the subject. The common thread across uses is the notion of going upward, whether physically, temporally, or expressively.