The Apennines is the name of the mountain range that runs down the center of Italy. It runs the entire north-south extent of the Italian peninsula. In the north, it therefore meets the Alps of Europe.

Its name in Italian is 'Appennini', which is pronounced 'ahp-pehn-NEE-nee'. It takes its name from the original Latin 'Appenninus'. The Latin proper noun in turn came from the Latin word 'penne' for 'quill, feather', which was in reference to the range's shape.