precipitous

adjective pre·cip·i·tous \pri-ˈsi-pə-təs\

: very steep

: happening in a very quick and sudden way

: done too quickly and without enough thought or planning

Full Definition of PRECIPITOUS

: precipitate 2

a : very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging in rise or fall <a precipitous slope>

b : having precipitous sides <a precipitous gorge>

c : having a very steep ascent <a precipitous street>

— pre·cip·i·tous·ly adverb

— pre·cip·i·tous·ness noun

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Origin of PRECIPITOUS

French précipiteux, from Middle French, from Latin precipitium precipice

First Known Use: 1646

Related to PRECIPITOUS

Synonyms: cursory, drive-by, flying, gadarene, headlong, helter-skelter, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell, precipitate, hasty, rash, rushed

Antonyms: deliberate, unhurried, unrushed

Synonym Discussion of PRECIPITOUS

steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular. steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult <a steep hill> <a steep dive>. abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level <a beach with an abrupt drop-off>. precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical <the river winds through a precipitous gorge>. sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse <sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers>.

Rhymes with PRECIPITOUS

peripatus

Learn More About PRECIPITOUS

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "precipitous"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "precipitous"

Nglish: Translation of "precipitous" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "precipitous" for Arabic speakers

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