waterfall

American  

[waw-ter-fawl, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tərˌfɔl, ˈwɒt ər- /

noun

• waterfalls
  plural

1. a steep fall or flow of water in a watercourse from a height, as over a precipice; cascade.

2. a manner of arranging women's hair, as in long, loose waves.

---

adjective

1. noting or relating to a philosophy of product development and production that includes sequential stages, from conception and design through testing and implementation, resulting in one finalized version of the product: waterfall management;

   waterfall development;

   waterfall management;

   a waterfall model.

waterfall British  

/ ˈwɔːtəˌfɔːl /

noun

1. a cascade of falling water where there is a vertical or almost vertical step in a river

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• waterfalls
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of waterfall

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English wætergefeall. See water, fall

---

Explanation

A natural area where a river or stream cascades over a high precipice and pours down is called a waterfall. If you like to go canoeing down the river, make sure you stop before you get to that waterfall! The word waterfall comes from its Old English precursor, wætergefeall. It's a beautifully simple description of exactly what a waterfall is — water that falls continuously from a height, either in a river's course or over the edge of an iceberg. Waterfalls are most common in steep mountain rivers, but there are many smaller waterfalls as well. The world's tallest waterfall, Angel Falls in Venezuela, is over 3,000 feet high.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

waterfall waterfalls

The property includes a landscaped front yard with a waterfall and a tiki hut-style pavilion that is used as a gym or for yoga, according to listing agent Chris Cortazzo of Compass.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The lake ends at 27-metre-high waterfall, which has now stopped flowing.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

Yang compares the behavior to water flowing over a waterfall.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Outside, the couple created a resort-style setup complete with a swimming pool, waterslide, waterfall, spa, putting green, expansive patios, and lush landscaping.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

We’re still being pushed toward the waterfall, but inch by inch, the raft floats toward the sand.

From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

The campaign features some of the country’s most architecturally impressive toilets, many situated along scenic routes overlooking fjords, mountains and waterfalls.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

Months after her hip-replacement surgery, the pair set out for Iceland’s little-visited Westfjords—putting both travelers to the test against winding roads, thundering waterfalls and uneven hiking trails.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Kanisius and his master Umbu Ana Rara, 31, who is three years younger than him, live in the village of Tenggedu, whose turquoise waterfalls draw intrepid tourists looking for a "hidden tropical paradise".

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Each pool features a hot tub, and a 35-foot waterslide flows into one of six waterfalls.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

It showed climbing vines, rivers and waterfalls, grapes, flower beds, singing birds, everything a desert dweller might dream of.

From "Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---