Fallaway

/ˈfɔːləˌweɪ/ adjective

Definition

Sloping downward; descending gradually away from a point or surface.

Etymology

Compound of 'fall' (to descend) and 'away' (at a distance). This descriptive term emerged in architectural and geographical contexts to describe slopes or surfaces that drop away from a viewer's position.

Kelly Says

Architects love the word 'fallaway' because it sounds more sophisticated than 'sloped away,' but it also has a melancholy quality—like the landscape is literally falling away from you, which is why it appears so often in Gothic and Romantic literature.

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