sur ‧ mount /səˈmaʊnt $ sər-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive] formal
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: surmonter , from sur- ( ⇨ ↑ surcharge ) + monter 'to get up on to' ]
1 . to succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty SYN overcome :
He has had to surmount immense physical disabilities.
2 . [usually passive] to be above or on top of something:
a tower surmounted by a dome
—surmountable adjective