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

“At some point, you’re going to have a massive waterfall of stock that’s going to be coming to market,” says Ken Smythe, CEO of secondary investments firm Next Round Capital.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

“Designed with a moody, sophisticated palette, the kitchen features top-of-the-line Cafe appliances, bespoke cabinetry, and a statement waterfall island, creating a space that feels both functional and artful.”

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

Lainey Wilson and Devlin “Duck” Hodges made a splash last weekend, getting married Sunday at a picturesque waterfall in Tennessee.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

They have already pulled the one trick they did have: extending their assessments of the useful life of AI servers and related gear to spread out the depreciation waterfall over a longer period.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

I’ve never seen a waterfall, but I can hear its power.

From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes