Added 9 October 2026
precipice
/ˈpɹɛsɪpɪs/ noun
In Latin: abruptum First recorded: 1598 Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about precipice at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
Origin
First attested in 1598, from Middle French precipice, from Latin praecipitium (“a steep place”), from praeceps (“steep”), from prae + caput (“head”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“head”). Distantly related to precept through Latin praecipiō (“to teach”), from prae + capiō (“take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-, *keh₂p- (“to hold; to seize”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)