Mount Everest wasn't "discovered" in the way that a new island or species might be. It was identified as the highest peak in the world.

Here's the breakdown:

* 1847: The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India, led by Sir George Everest, used trigonometry to calculate the height of a peak in the Himalayas. This peak was initially known as Peak XV.

* 1852: The peak was officially named Mount Everest in honor of Sir George Everest.

* 1856: The official height of Mount Everest was calculated as 29,029 feet, though later measurements have refined this number.

So, while the peak had been known to local people for centuries, the official recognition of its height and naming came in 1852.