Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pitfall

/ˈpɪtfɔl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.53 in modern English

Syllables: pit-fall
IPA: /ˈpɪtfɔl/

12

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A type of trap consisting of a concealed pit in the ground, into which the victim is supposed to fall and not be able to get out from.

noun

A potential, unsuspected, hidden problem, hazard, or danger that is easily encountered but not immediately obvious.

noun

An antipattern.

noun

Subsidence below ground in a mine, which can cause the ground level above to drop.

verb

To trap, snare, or ensnare someone or something.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"It's usually a simple task, but you should know the pitfalls before you attempt it yourself."
"This pitfall, beginning in February and finishing in May, resulted in a drop of about 3 ft. in the platform level; during this period it was necessary to level the track three times weekly, and impose a service slack of 15 m.p.h. The subsidence appears now to have finished, and normal speed is once again permitted."

Etymology

First recorded use in the 14th century from pit + fall in the sense of "pit trap, pit snare", from Old English fealle (“trap, snare”), from Proto-Germanic *fallą, *fallaz (“a fall, trap”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pōl-. Cognate with German Falle (“trap, snare”).

Origin

Source language: Old English

Word Breakdown

Root: fealle, *fallą, *(s)pōl-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈpɪtfɔl/
British English: /ˈpɪtfɔːl/

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

pitfalls (plural) pitfalls (present, singular) pitfalling (participle, present) pitfalled (participle, past) pitfalled (past)

Derived Forms

pitfalled pitfalling

Phrases

pitfall and gin

Synonyms

trapping pit trap antipattern dark pattern pit booby trap

Questions

How do you pronounce pitfall?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpɪtfɔl/.
What does pitfall mean?: A type of trap consisting of a concealed pit in the ground, into which the victim is supposed to fall and not be able to get out from.
Where does pitfall come from?: It is traced to Old English.

How to pronounce pitfall

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pitfall”.
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