Word
precipice
US/ˈpɹɛsəpəs/
UK/pɹˈɛsɪpˌɪs/
Definitions
01a steep cliff
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. a very steep, high face of a rock or mountain.
n. a very steep or overhanging rock face or cliff; a vertical drop.
“The hikers stopped at the edge of the precipice to look at the valley below.”
“From the narrow mountain path, the climbers looked down a sheer precipice that dropped hundreds of metres into the mist below.”
02a headlong fall
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic
n. a sudden and very fast fall from a high place.
n. a headlong fall or steep descent from a great height.
“The old stories describe a hero's precipice into the dark sea.”
“The poet used the image of a sudden precipice to represent the character's rapid loss of social standing and wealth.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“It was one of the most deadly conflicts this century - the AU's mediator estimated some 600,000 people died as the fighting drove the region to the precipice of famine.” “It was one of the most deadly conflicts this century - the African Union's mediator estimated some 600,000 people died as the fighting drove the region to the precipice of famine.” Etymology
First attested in 1598, from Middle French precipice, from Latin praecipitium (“a steep place”), from praeceps (“steep”), from prae + caput (“head”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“head”). Distantly related to precept through Latin praecipiō (“to teach”), from prae + capiō (“take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kap-, keh₂p- (“to hold; to seize”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/precipice