waterfall

American  

[waw-ter-fawl, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tərˌfɔl, ˈwɒt ər- /

noun

• waterfalls
  plural

1. a steep fall or flow of water in a watercourse from a height, as over a precipice; cascade.

2. a manner of arranging women's hair, as in long, loose waves.

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adjective

1. noting or relating to a philosophy of product development and production that includes sequential stages, from conception and design through testing and implementation, resulting in one finalized version of the product: waterfall management;

   waterfall development;

   waterfall management;

   a waterfall model.

waterfall British  

/ ˈwɔːtəˌfɔːl /

noun

1. a cascade of falling water where there is a vertical or almost vertical step in a river

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• waterfalls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of waterfall

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English wætergefeall. See water, fall

Explanation

A natural area where a river or stream cascades over a high precipice and pours down is called a waterfall. If you like to go canoeing down the river, make sure you stop before you get to that waterfall! The word waterfall comes from its Old English precursor, wætergefeall. It's a beautifully simple description of exactly what a waterfall is — water that falls continuously from a height, either in a river's course or over the edge of an iceberg. Waterfalls are most common in steep mountain rivers, but there are many smaller waterfalls as well. The world's tallest waterfall, Angel Falls in Venezuela, is over 3,000 feet high.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

waterfall waterfalls

The waterfall on the north side of the museum.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Wright set him straight: “I want you to live with the waterfall, not just to look at it.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Ranch activities include hurtling through agility courses, swimming beneath a massive artificial waterfall and roaming sprawling fantasy playgrounds built expressly for their entertainment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

It had a waterfall in the lobby, a pool on the roof, valet parking and all sorts of other conveniences.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Mini closed her eyes and put her hand on the waterfall.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park in California's Sierra Nevada mountains is internationally acclaimed for its spectacular granite cliffs, glaciers, waterfalls, sequoia trees and wildlife.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

The Trinity Alps Wilderness, about three hours north of Sacramento, offers hiking trails, waterfalls, alpine lakes and smaller crowds than at popular national parks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Tourists still lined up to peer through them at city skylines and waterfalls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

A sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Smokies are known for hiking trails with waterfalls and scenic outlooks.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026

It boiled streams and cooked mud and sent waterfalls disappearing into deep pits, only to reappear miles away.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill