escarpment

American  

[ih-skahrp-muhnt] / ɪˈskɑrp mənt /

noun

1. Geology. a long, precipitous, clifflike ridge of land, rock, or the like, commonly formed by faulting or fracturing of the earth's crust.

2. ground cut into an escarp around a fortification or defensive position.

---

escarpment British  

/ ɪˈskɑːpmənt /

noun

1. 1. the long continuous steep face of a ridge or plateau formed by erosion; scarp

   2. any steep slope, such as one resulting from faulting

2. a steep artificial slope immediately in front of the rampart of a fortified place

---

escarpment Scientific  

/ ĭ-skärp′mənt /

1. A steep slope or long cliff formed by erosion or by vertical movement of the Earth's crust along a fault. Escarpments separate two relatively level areas of land. The term is often used interchangeably with scarp but is more accurately associated with cliffs produced by erosional processes rather than those produced by faulting.

---

Etymology

Origin of escarpment

From the French word escarpement, dating back to 1795–1805. See escarp, -ment

Explanation

You are standing at the foot of a cliff. You look up at the steep, sharp wall of rock above you and realize you are seeing an escarpment. At this moment, you can truly appreciate the power of natural erosion. The history of the word escarpment can be found in the Italian scarpa and the French verb escarper, meaning "to make into a steep slope." This became the noun referring to a natural cliff, usually found where the land forms shift from highlands to a low plateau, with the sharp slope of an escarpment dividing the two landscapes. The word was also applied to a non-natural protective barrier usually built up in front of castles or forts.

Example Sentences

The escarpment is a line of cliffs and steep hills created by a geologic fault.

From Salon • Jul. 7, 2025

That allowed us more modern digs and a lovely deck overlooking a large pond and a stunning view of Winter Rim, a 3,000-foot escarpment to the west.

From Seattle Times • May 25, 2024

A second engraving, found in 2015 during a survey of the Jebel az-Zilliyat escarpment in Saudi Arabia, is inscribed on a sandstone boulder more than three meters wide and two meters high.

From Scientific American • May 17, 2023

“Everyone had work, and children stayed here instead of going abroad,” Mr. Bulkhak said, gesturing at the now mostly empty village from an escarpment overlooking the valley.

From New York Times • Dec. 19, 2022

We scramble to the top of the escarpment.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George