fallen

American  

[faw-luhn] / ˈfɔ lən /

verb

1. past participle of fall.

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adjective

1. having dropped or come down from a higher place, from an upright position, or from a higher level, degree, amount, quality, value, number, etc.

2. on the ground; prostrate; down flat.

   Exhausted, the racers lay fallen by the road.

3. degraded or immoral.

4. (of a woman) having lost her chastity.

5. overthrown, destroyed, or conquered.

   a fallen city.

6. dead.

   fallen troops.

fallen British  

/ ˈfɔːlən /

verb

1. the past participle of fall

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adjective

1. having sunk in reputation or honour

   a fallen woman

2. killed in battle with glory

   our fallen heroes

3. defeated

Other Word Forms

• unfallen adjective

Etymology

Origin of fallen

First recorded before 900, for the adjective

Example Sentences

“The first snow has fallen and the ice on the fjord is getting thicker.”

From The Wall Street Journal

However, expectations for the Spanish energy company had fallen after its update in January.

From The Wall Street Journal

But as the immediate threat to his position appeared to pass, yields have fallen back.

From The Wall Street Journal

If the wind had been any stronger, "she would have fallen over the south face".

From BBC

Measles cases have increased in the United States as vaccination rates have fallen in recent years, allowing the highly contagious virus to spread in communities with lower vaccine coverage.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• collapsed
• decayed