steep
/stiːp/adjective, noun, verb
steep is spelled S-T-E-E-P: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 9.8 times per million words in written English, the 7,224th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, steep means “Of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward or downward at an angle approaching vertical” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in steep?
| Letters | 5: S-T-E-E-P |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 9.8 times per million words; the 7,224th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is steep?
Steep appears 9.8 times per million words in written English, the 7,224th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce steep?
- /stiːp/
Steep has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-steep.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of steep
- steeper comparative
- steepest superlative
- steeps plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- steeping participle, present
- steeped participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does steep mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward or downward at an angle approaching vertical.
a steep hill or mountain; a steep roof; a steep ascent; a steep barometric gradient
- 2
informalExpensive.
Twenty quid for a shave? That's a bit steep.
- 3
obsoleteDifficult to access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high.
- 4
resulting in a mast or windshield angle that strongly diverges from the perpendicular.
The steep rake of the windshield enhances the fast lines of the exterior.
noun
- 1
The steep side of a mountain etc.; a slope or acclivity.
- 2
A liquid used in a steeping process
Corn steep has many industrial uses.
- 3
A rennet bag.
verb
- 1
To soak or wet thoroughly.
They steep skins in a tanning solution to create leather.
- 2
To make tea (or other beverages) by soaking leaves in water, which flavors the water.
- 3
To imbue with something; to be deeply immersed in.
a town steeped in history
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Steep in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | escarpé, abrupt, raide , imprégner, imbiber , infuser |
| German | steil , eintauchen, einweichen , ziehen lassen , Lauge |
| Portuguese | íngreme, íngrime |
| Spanish | escarpado, empinado, acantilado , remojar , sopa |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does steep come from?
From Middle English steep, from Old English stēap (“high”), from Proto-Germanic *staupaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp- (“to push, stick”). Compare Old Frisian stāp ("high, towering"; > Modern Saterland Frisian stiep (“steep”)), Dutch stoop (“grand; proud”), Middle High German stouf (“towering cliff, precipice”), Middle High German stief (“steep”)).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).