Cavanal Hill (officially Cavanal Mountain), located near Poteau, Oklahoma, is described by a sign at its base as the "'World's Highest Hill' – Elevation: 1,999 feet". The actual summit elevation is above sea level;
Hill / mountain
The billing is based on a delineation between a hill and a mountain, that being if the geographical feature were 2,000 feet or higher than its base. However, the United States Geographic Names Information System contains thousands of summits with "hill" in their names which are higher than 2,000 feet.
Etymology
One source claims that the name is derived from a French word meaning "cave": . Oklahoma historian Muriel H. Wright wrote that cavanol is a corruption of the French word , meaning "cavernous."
History
Cavanal Hill was a notable landmark for French explorers who traveled this area in the 18th century and gave the landmark its name. During the late 1700s, French fur trappers established a camp at the base of Cavanal and named it Poteau, for "Post". Thomas Nuttall studied plant life here in 1819, and learned about other natural wonders from local French trappers and Indians who were living here.