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.

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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

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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

Suzie Dyer, 50, was left with severe injuries to her hip, back and pelvis after falling during a hike in Waterfall Country in Bannau Brycheiniog, also known as the Brecon Beacons, on New Year's Day.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

NRW said it offered its "sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in Waterfall Country".

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

Waterfall & Wildlife Tour – It might seem silly to get off a cruise ship and onto a little boat, but trust me, you’ll get an entirely different perspective.

From Salon • Jul. 20, 2025

Scores of rescue personnel were searching through a river around the Anai Valley Waterfall area in Tanah Datar district where tons of mud, rocks and trees were left from flash floods.

From Seattle Times • May 13, 2024

Lieutenants V. Waterfall and C. G. G. Bayly, of No. 5 Squadron, started on a reconnaissance in an Avro at 10.16 a.m. and next day were reported missing.

From The War in the Air; Vol. 1 The Part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force by Raleigh, Walter Alexander, Sir