Hinterland Definition

hĭntər-lănd
hinterlands
noun
hinterlands
The land or district behind that bordering on a coast or river; specif., an inland region claimed by the state that owns the coast.
Webster's New World
An area far from big cities and towns; backcountry.
Webster's New World
A region situated beyond metropolitan centers of culture.
American Heritage

(figuratively) That which is unknown or unexplored about someone.

Wiktionary

(figuratively) Anything vague or ill-defined, especially one that is ill understood.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Hinterland

Noun

Singular:
hinterland
Plural:
hinterlands

Origin of Hinterland

  • Borrowing from German Hinterland, from hinter (“behind”) +‎ Land (“land”), cognate to English hind (“back, rear”) + land. First used in English in 1888 by George Chisholm in his work Handbook of Commercial Geography originally as hinderland, but current spelling (following German) became more popular. The term is characteristic of thalassocratic analysis of space (from the point of view of nation, such as 19th century Britain, with maritime supremacy).

    From Wiktionary

  • German hinter behind (from Middle High German) (from Old High German hintar ko- in Indo-European roots) Land land (from Middle High German lant) (from Old High German lendh- in Indo-European roots)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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