corniche

American  

[kawr-nish, kawr-neesh] / ˈkɔr nɪʃ, kɔrˈniʃ /

noun

1. a winding road cut into the side of a steep hill or along the face of a coastal cliff.

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corniche British  

/ ˈkɔːnɪʃ /

noun

1. a coastal road, esp one built into the face of a cliff

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Etymology

Origin of corniche

1830–40; < French, by ellipsis from route de corniche, route en corniche ( corniche rock ledge < Italian; see cornice)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

corniche

Luna El Bizri, the owner of Luna Pharm, the store destroyed in the attack, said her pharmacy’s neighborhood of Ain al-Mraiseh along Beirut’s seaside corniche had always been a haven.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

Parallel to the tramway, much of Alexandria's iconic corniche is now hidden behind overpasses, private businesses and beachside food courts.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

Iraqi families with children mingle with Saudi and Kuwaiti tourists strolling along the Shatt al-Arab corniche.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 5, 2023

Outside, a patio offered a charming view of the old city’s corniche.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 25, 2022

The lion in the path, however, is Cape Girâo, which would cost a treasure to 'tunnel' or to cut into a corniche.

From To the Gold Coast for Gold A Personal Narrative in Two Volumes.—Volume I by Sir Richard Francis Burton

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