escarpment

noun

es·​carp·​ment i-ˈskärp-mənt 

1

: a steep slope in front of a fortification

2

: a long cliff or steep slope separating two comparatively level or more gently sloping surfaces and resulting from erosion or faulting

Synonyms

• barranca
• barranco
• bluff
• cliff
• crag
• palisade
• precipice
• scar
• scarp

Examples of escarpment in a Sentence

the castle sits atop an escarpment that for hundreds of years made it virtually invulnerable to attack

Recent Examples on the Web

Off the water, an easy 1.25-mile hike leads to one of the overlooks at Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River takes a drastic turn around a massive sandstone escarpment. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 4 Feb. 2025

The stately Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is a ubiquitous presence in Quebec City, always peering down on visitors from its highpoint on the Cap Diamant escarpment. —Vjosa Isai, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Hike back down the Beach Trail from the visitors center through chaparral and sandy bluffs to the shore at Flat Rock, where rain has eroded deep arroyos into the 300-foot sandstone escarpments. —Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024

It was built of a tough wood that only grew along a small escarpment near the village. —Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French escarpement, from escarper to scarp, from Middle French, from escarpe scarp, from Old Italian scarpa — more at scarp

First Known Use

circa 1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

escarpment

noun

es·​carp·​ment is-ˈkärp-mənt 

1

: a steep slope in front of a fort or defensive area

2

: a long cliff