firefall

1 9.9

A stream of glowing embers that falls down a cliff at night

noun
/ˈfaɪərfɔl/

: cascada de fuego

During the firefall event, the water appears to flow like lava, captivating everyone watching the spectacular sight.

Examples

Every February, visitors flock to see the firefall, a remarkable event where the setting sun illuminates the waterfall with a fiery glow.
The stunning firefall at Yosemite National Park creates a mesmerizing display of glowing embers cascading down the cliffs.
It is then that the firefall marvel takes place.

Blog text (25)

Surface Forms

firefall singular

firefalls plural

Morphology

firefall = fire + fall (semi-transparent) = fire + fall

While the components 'fire' and 'fall' are clear, the specific meaning of a 'spectacle where burning material falls like a waterfall' is a metaphorical extension.

Etymology

Firefall joins fire ('fire') and fall ('to fall'), and you can think of it like a waterfall of flames. So a firefall means a stream or show where burning embers or glowing fire seem to fall down like water, which explains the modern meaning.