precipice
See also: précipice
English
Alternative forms
- præcipice (archaic)
Etymology
First attested in 1598, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle French precipice, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin praecipitium (“a steep place”), from praeceps (“steep”), from prae + caput (“head”). First meaning of the noun is recorded from 1632.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈpɹɛsɪpɪs/
- IPA(key): /ˈpɹɛs.ə.pɪs/
- Hyphenation: preci‧pice
Noun
precipice (plural precipices)
- 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...
- 1719- Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
- The brink of a dangerous situation.
- to stand on a precipice
- (obsolete) A headlong fall or descent.
Synonyms
Related terms
Translations
very steep cliff
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
Middle French
Noun
precipice m (plural precipices)
- precipice (steep cliff)
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- en:Landforms
- Middle French lemmas
- Middle French nouns
- Middle French masculine nouns
- Middle French countable nouns