precipice

See also précipice

English

Alternative forms

• præcipice (archaic)

Etymology

First attested in 1598, from Latin *praecipitium (“a steep place”), from praeceps (“steep”), from prae + caput (“head”). First meaning of the noun is recorded from 1632.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈprɛs.ə.pɪs/

Noun

precipice (plural precipices)

1. A very steep cliff.
   • 1719- Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe

     I resolved to remove my tent from the place where it stood, which was just under the hanging precipice of the hill; and which, if it should be shaken again, would certainly fall upon my tent...

2. The brink of a dangerous situation.

   to stand on a precipice

3. (obsolete) A headlong fall or descent.

Synonyms

• cliff

Related terms

• precipitous
• precipitously
• precipitousness

Translations

a very steep cliff

Basque: amildegi (eu), malkar (eu) Catalan: precipici (ca) m. Chinese: Mandarin: 懸崖 (zh), 悬崖 (zh) (xuányá) Dutch: afgrond (nl) m. Finnish: jyrkänne (fi), kalliojyrkänne (fi) French: précipice (fr) m. Georgian: ხრამი (ka) (xrami) German: Abgrund (de) m. Hebrew: צוק (he) m.

Italian: precipizio (it) m., dirupo (it) m., baratro (it) m., burrone (it) m. Japanese: 絶壁 (ja) (ぜっぺき, zeppeki), 断崖 (ja) (だんがい, dangai) Korean: 절벽 (ko) (jeolbyeok) Old Norse: brant (Eastern dialect), bratt (Western dialect) Polish: przepaść (pl) f. Portuguese: precipício (pt) m. Russian: пропасть (ru) (própast’) f., обрыв (ru) (obrýv) m. Spanish: precipicio (es) m. Turkish: uçurum (tr)

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Mandarin: 悬崖 (zh) (xuán-yá), 懸崖 (zh) (xuán-yá) Greek: γκρεμός (el) m., κρημνός (el) m., βάραθρο (el) n., χαράδρα (el) f.