An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The highest peak on Mars, and the largest volcano in the solar system. It rises to a height of 27 kilometres above the datum level selected on the basis of atmospheric pressure.This gigantic shield volcano, 700 kilometres across, is similar in nature to volcanoes on Earth but its volume is at least fifty times greater than its nearest terrestrial equivalent.

See also: From L. Mons, → mountain, + Olympus, from Gk. Olympos a mountain (2966 m) in north-east Greece, on the boundary between Thessaly and Macedonia, mythical abode of the greater Grecian gods.