# waterfall

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈwɔːtəfɔːl/ · frequency rank #14,249

## Definitions
1. A flow of water over the edge of a cliff.
2. A waterfall-like outpouring of liquid, smoke, etc.
3. Short for waterfall model
4. The action of drinking from a vessel without touching it with the lips, considered more sanitary for a shared vessel.
5. A necktie.
6. A chignon (hairstyle).
7. A beard.
8. A kind of handstand with chin tucked and back arched.

## Etymology
From Middle English waterfal, waterfalle, from Old English wæterġefeall (“waterfall”), equivalent to water + fall. Cognate with West Frisian wetterfal (“waterfall”), Dutch waterval (“waterfall”), German Wasserfall (“waterfall”), Swedish vattenfall (“waterfall”).

## Easily confused with
- **waterfowl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/waterfall-vs-waterfowl)

## Common misspellings (12)
`awterfall`, `waetrfall`, `watefrall`, `waterafll`, `waterfal`, `waterffall`, `waterflal`, `waterrfall`, `watrefall`, `watterfall`, `wtaerfall`, `wwaterfall`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/waterfall