waterfall

American  

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

noun

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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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

The dimly lit dining room centers around a dramatic waterfall feature that adds to the romantic atmosphere.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026

In her first picture, she stood in a one-piece on a boulder, smiling, a waterfall pummeling behind her.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

She had visited twice before, and after seeing the first waterfall on the trail, went on to a path which she quickly realised was narrow and badly eroded.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

“You can start to think of this in a waterfall fashion,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

Beyond that, the smallest waterfall isn’t even a kilometer away.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera