Low hills at the base of a mountain or mountain range; gently sloping elevated areas that transition between plains and mountains.
Compound of 'foot' (base, bottom) + 'hills', first recorded in American English in the 1670s. Reflects the metaphorical use of 'foot' to mean the bottom or base of something elevated.
Foothills represent one of nature's most perfect transitions - they're neither flat nor towering, serving as gentle stepping stones that ease both travelers and ecosystems from lowlands to peaks.
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