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⚡ Very sudden ⛰️ Very steep
precipitous

precipitous

3 7.7
A very steep slope like a cliff that is dangerous to climb
  • adjective
  • /prɪˈsɪpɪtəs/
: precipitado
  • According to the first story, the baboons have an "instinctive" fear of precipitous heights.
  • precipitous drop
  • precipitous decline
  • precipitous fall

It has been a precipitous drop, just drop.

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Examples

  • The hiker carefully navigated the precipitous cliffs to avoid slipping off the edge.

  • The car struggled to ascend the precipitous road leading to the summit of the hill.

  • The U.S. dollar fell in value and seemed headed for an even more precipitous drop.

    Academic text (2007)

  • "I SPENT A WEEK in Pittsburgh, walking the precipitous streets of neighborhoods I remembered only in my dreams.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The 2005 survey, however, shows a precipitous drop in ordained members by 31 percent over forty years.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Indeed, U.S. government figures show a precipitous drop in Iraqi military spending and arms imports after 1990.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The complex stands on a precipitous rock overlooking a deep gorge close to the sea.

    Academic text (2003)

  • There were no dangerous mazes, no precipitous heights, no tight squeezes.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The graveyard smell of damp earth and stone, the precipitous descent, made me shiver.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • In the gloom, whoosh! Kip's wife rides a flying fox across a precipitous drop.

    Fiction book (1996)

Synonyms

steep
vsprecipitous
148 2.5

Having a very sharp slope or almost vertical angle

is more extreme and often implies real danger from the angle
sharp
vsprecipitous
84 2.0

A sudden large change in amount or level

stresses extreme angle and danger rather than suddenness
steep-sided
vsprecipitous
1 4.3

A thing with sides that rise almost straight up

is about the slope itself being extremely dangerous and sharp
perpendicular
vsprecipitous
1 6.7

So steep that it drops almost straight down

is about extreme slope and danger rather than only verticality
abrupt
vsprecipitous
1 4.7

A very steep slope or drop that is often dangerous

is extremely steep and often dangerous rather than merely sudden
bold
vsprecipitous
1 6.3

Very steep and almost straight up, like a cliff

focuses on danger and extreme angle rather than visual appearance
declivitous
vsprecipitous
1 9.9

A steep slope that goes down a hill

is more extreme and often warns of sudden hazardous drops

Antonyms

gradual
71 3.0

Happening slowly and steadily, not suddenly

gentle
5 1.0

Not steep and rising slowly

How Steep

vertical
121 2.7
precipitous
3 7.7
steep
148 2.5
sloping
15 3.1
gentle
5 1.0

Surface Forms

precipitous positive
precipitate comparative
precipitate superlative

Morphology

precipitous = precipitate (semi-transparent) = precipitate + ous

Formed with the common adjectival suffix '-ous' from 'precipitate', but the sense 'extremely steep' is historically related and not a completely regular derivation for learners.

Etymology

Precipitous comes from a Latin idea of going 'head-first', built from prae- 'before' and caput 'head'. So a precipitous slope is like a place you could fall 'head-first', meaning very steep and dangerous.