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

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Etymology

Origin of waterfall

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

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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 walk to the waterfall from a nearby parking lot would take 40 minutes each way, along undulating and uneven terrain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

From the walkway, visitors can view the park's Amur tigers in their enclosure which includes woodland, grassland and a waterfall pool.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

Yang compares the behavior to water flowing over a waterfall.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Outside, the couple created a resort-style setup complete with a swimming pool, waterslide, waterfall, spa, putting green, expansive patios, and lush landscaping.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

Mom wants to explore this magnificent waterfall with me someday.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

The campaign features some of the country’s most architecturally impressive toilets, many situated along scenic routes overlooking fjords, mountains and waterfalls.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

Months after her hip-replacement surgery, the pair set out for Iceland’s little-visited Westfjords—putting both travelers to the test against winding roads, thundering waterfalls and uneven hiking trails.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Kanisius and his master Umbu Ana Rara, 31, who is three years younger than him, live in the village of Tenggedu, whose turquoise waterfalls draw intrepid tourists looking for a "hidden tropical paradise".

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 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

Little waterfalls trickle through the sewer grates down the street.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

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