from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Cordillera \Cor*dil"ler*a\ (k[^o]r*d[i^]l"l[~e]r*[.a]; Sp.
k[^o]r`d[-e]*ly[asl]"r[.a]), n. [Sp., fr. OSp. cordilla,
cordiella, dim. of cuerda a rope, string. See {Cord}.]
(Geol.)
A mountain ridge or chain.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Cordillera is sometimes applied, in geology, to the
system of mountain chains near the border of a
continent; thus, the western cordillera of North
America in the United States includes the Rocky
Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Coast and Cascade ranges.
[1913 Webster]