noun
cliff
klihf
noun
1
A high, steep face of rock, often found along a coastline.
"They watched the sunset from the top of the cliff."
"Waves crashed against the base of the cliff."
2
A point where something suddenly and sharply drops off or worsens.
"Economists warned the country was heading toward a fiscal cliff."
How to Use Cliff
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA steep rock face, often by the sea, or figuratively any point of sudden, sharp decline.
Common pairings
cliff edge
steep cliff
fall off a cliff
fiscal cliff
Word Forms
cliffs plural
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Etymology
From Old English clif, meaning "steep rock face."