Definition

Proper noun: * A mountainous tableland in northern South America: The Guiana Highlands refers to a vast, ancient geological formation consisting of a high plateau and scattered, steep-sided flat-topped mountains (called tepuis). This region extends from southeastern Venezuela across parts of Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and into northern Brazil.

Usage

• The term is used as a singular proper noun to name this specific geographical region.
• It is often discussed in contexts of geography, geology, ecology, and exploration due to its unique landscape and biodiversity.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Guiana Highlands are one of the oldest geological formations on Earth.
  • Explorers were drawn to the remote tepuis of the Guiana Highlands.
  • The biodiversity of the Guiana Highlands includes many endemic species.

Advanced Usage

• The term is frequently used in scientific literature to describe the source of many major South American rivers, such as tributaries of the Amazon and Orinoco, which originate on its slopes.
• It is synonymous with the "Guiana Shield" in geological contexts, referring to the underlying Precambrian bedrock.

Variants and Related Words

• Guiana Shield (proper noun): The geological formation underlying the Guiana Highlands.
• Tepui (noun): A table-top mountain or mesa characteristic of the Guiana Highlands (e.g., Mount Roraima).
• Highlands (noun): An area of high or mountainous land. (Used generically, not as a proper noun for this region).

Synonyms

• There are no direct synonyms for this proper noun as it is a specific place name. Descriptive phrases include:
  • the northern South American highlands
  • the Venezuelan highlands (for the portion within Venezuela)

Related Phrases

• "The lost world of the Guiana Highlands": A phrase alluding to the region's isolation and unique, ancient ecosystems, popularized by Arthur Conan Doyle's novel , which was inspired by the tepuis.

Noun

1. a mountainous tableland in northern South America; extends from Venezuela into Guyana and northern Brazil