steep

1
[ steep ]
See synonyms for: steepsteepedsteepersteepness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,steep·er, steep·est.
  1. having an almost vertical slope or pitch, or a relatively high gradient, as a hill, an ascent, stairs, etc.

  2. (of a price or amount) unduly high; exorbitant: Those prices are too steep for me.

  1. extreme or incredible, as a statement or story.

  2. high or lofty.

noun
  1. a steep place; declivity, as of a hill.

Origin of steep

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English adjective step(e), steppe, Old English stēap “lofty, towering”; akin to stoop1

Other words from steep

  • steeply, adverb
  • steepness, noun

Other definitions for steep (2 of 2)

steep2
[ steep ]

verb (used with object)
  1. to soak in water or other liquid, as to soften, cleanse, or extract some constituent: to steep tea in boiling hot water;to steep reeds for basket weaving.

  2. to wet thoroughly in or with a liquid; drench; saturate; imbue.

  1. to immerse in or saturate or imbue with some pervading, absorbing, or stupefying influence or agency: an incident steeped in mystery.

verb (used without object)
  1. to lie soaking in a liquid.

noun
  1. the act or process of steeping or the state of being steeped.

  2. a liquid in which something is steeped.

Origin of steep

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb stepen; further origin obscure; compare Old Icelandic steypa “to throw down, pour out,” Swedish stöpa “to cast”

Other words for steep

Other words from steep

  • steeper, noun
  • un·steeped, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use steep in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for steep (1 of 2)

steep1

/ (stiːp) /


adjective
    • having or being a slope or gradient approaching the perpendicular

    • (as noun): the steep

  1. informal (of a fee, price, demand, etc) unduly high; unreasonable (esp in the phrase that's a bit steep)

  1. informal excessively demanding or ambitious: a steep task

  2. British informal (of a statement) extreme or far-fetched

  3. obsolete elevated

Origin of steep

1
Old English steap; related to Old Frisian stāp, Old High German stouf cliff, Old Norse staup

Derived forms of steep

  • steeply, adverb
  • steepness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for steep (2 of 2)

steep2

/ (stiːp) /


verb
  1. to soak or be soaked in a liquid in order to soften, cleanse, extract an element, etc

  2. (tr; usually passive) to saturate; imbue: steeped in ideology

noun
  1. an instance or the process of steeping or the condition of being steeped

  2. a liquid or solution used for the purpose of steeping something

Origin of steep

2
Old English stēpan; related to steap vessel, cup, Old High German stouf, Old Norse staup, Middle Dutch stōp

Derived forms of steep

  • steeper, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012