rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryRoot: -ment
French

-ment

an action, result, or means

Forms

  • -ment

Origin

Latin -mentum, a noun-forming suffix for a means or result of an action, passed into French.

Note

Became productive in English, including with verbs inherited from Old English.

18 / 21
An oblique view of a long, continuous steep rock face separating a broad upper plateau from a broad lower plain, with both land levels clearly visible.
noun

escarpment

ih-SKARP-munt/ɪˈskɑːrpmənt/

A long, steep slope or cliff separating areas of land at different heights.

Etymology
escarpFrenchmake into a steep slope
+mentFrenchan action, result, or means

Escarper means “make into a steep slope”; escarpment names the steep face itself. The underlying slope word also appears in scarp, formerly used for the sloping side of a fortification ditch.

Full entry

Related word entries