Skip to content

precipicio

cliff

noun preh-see-PEE-syoh Rare

Origin: From Latin praecipitium, from praeceps (headlong).

Also means

precipice

Usage Note

Precipicio describes a sheer, dangerous drop — a cliff edge or ravine wall. Figuratively it is used for any situation on the brink of disaster: al borde del precipicio ('on the edge of the abyss') is a fixed journalistic and political phrase. Note the stress falls on the i despite the long word.

Examples

"El camino bordeaba un precipicio enorme."

Natural Translation

The path skirted an enormous cliff.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore Spanish by topic