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

Highlights include an extraordinary park, cascading waterfall, structural feats and unique vantages.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

On the way to the waterfall, the family travelled in a bus with two other British families, but as the driver overtook another vehicle he "lost control and went downhill".

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, the modern house suspended above a waterfall, is invariably photographed from the same angle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

“There’s actually a line to move up. You’re just waiting for your turn to step up” to capture the waterfall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

“Anansi...” he repeated, staring blankly at a waterfall across the room.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

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

In warmer weather, outdoor life shifts to hiking and fly-fishing in Spearfish Canyon Nature Area, a 20-mile gorge in Lead’s backyard lined with 1,000-foot limestone cliffs and waterfalls.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 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

If you take a long hike, you’ll see waterfalls and lots of wildlife.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 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