crest

an animal’s crest

1 / 1

Young adult athlete seated alone with shoulders slumped after loss, trophy awarded to distant rival, natural sadness, no writing.

adjective

crestfallen

KREST-faw-luhn/ˈkrestfɔːlən/

Sad and discouraged after a disappointment.

Etymology

crestEnglishan animal’s crest

+fallenEnglishdrop or move downward

A fallen crest supplies an image of lost spirit, but the animal behind it is uncertain. The source suggests horses may underlie the expression rather than a defeated cock with its crest lowered.

Full entry

Related word entries

crestfallen