crevice
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of crevice
1300–50; Middle English crevace < Anglo-French, Old French, equivalent to crev ( er ) to crack (< Latin crepāre ) + -ace noun suffix
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Explanation
A crevice is a long, tight space often found on the face of a mountain or other geological formation. A crevice can be large or small, but because it is usually hard reach, it is a great hiding place for all things like reptiles, bugs, and lost climbers. The word crevice often refers to a natural formation, but it can be used to describe any long, narrow space that’s hard to access. If you’ve lost something you might say, “I’m going to look in every crack and crevice,” to describe the search. Chances are you’ll find that lost item in the long narrow space — the crevice — between the cushions of your sofa, along with other things you didn't even know were missing!
Vocabulary lists containing crevice
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"The Tell-Tale Heart," Vocabulary from the short story
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A Wrinkle in Time
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The smoke from the Boyle Heights warehouse fire had spread into every crevice and corner of the facility, inescapable despite the masks handed out to staff.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2026
Researchers from several South American institutions have identified a new species of crevice weaver spider, expanding what scientists know about the Pikelinia genus.
From Science Daily • May 1, 2026
In 1993 Pope John Paul II formally recognized Israel, and in 2000 he placed a letter of apology for past Jewish suffering in a Western Wall crevice.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
The first pilot was found Friday, but it took more than 36 hours to locate the second aviator who was hiding in a mountain crevice.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Nhamo rolled rocks around it for a windbreak and tucked her jars, a half box of matches, and supplies into a crevice between two boulders.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
