# precipice

/ˈpɹɛsəpəs/ (US) · /pɹˈɛsɪpˌɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/precipice
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a steep cliff

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a very steep, high face of a rock or mountain.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. a headlong fall

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a sudden and very fast fall from a high place.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The hikers stood on the edge of the precipice.
- The company was on the precipice of bankruptcy after the sudden drop in sales.
- The explorer described the dizzying height of the precipice, where the wind howled so fiercely that it was nearly impossible to hear one's own voice.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.