crevice

noun

crev·​ice ˈkre-vəs 

: a narrow opening resulting from a split or crack (as in a cliff) : fissure

A lizard emerged from a crevice in the cliff …

—Tony Hillerman

Did you know?

What's the difference between a crevice and a crevasse?

Crevice and crevasse are very similar words: both come from Old French crever "to break or burst" and both refer to an opening of some kind. In fact, you can say that the only notable distinction between the two is the size of the openings they denote—and that one of them—crevice—is far more common than the other.

A crevice is a narrow opening resulting from a split or crack. In nature, crevices exist mostly in rocks and cliffs, but writers sometimes use the word for similar openings found in other materials, as in "crumbs in the crevices of the cushion." The word also is used metaphorically, as in "the cracks and crevices of memory."

Crevasse refers to a deep hole or fissure in a glacier or in the earth. In most instances, the word appears with enough context that the depth of the opening is easy enough to figure out, as in "a climber who fell 30 feet into a crevasse."

You'll sometimes find crevice used where crevasse is expected—probably because it's the word people are more familiar with. One way to remember the distinction between crevice and crevasse is that the i in crevice, the smaller hole, is a thinner letter than a in crevasse, the larger hole. Or, should you step into a crevasse, perhaps you'll have time for a lot of "Ahhhs"?

Synonyms

• check
• chink
• cleft
• crack
• cranny
• fissure
• rift
• split

Examples of crevice in a Sentence

steam escaped from a long crevice in the volcano

Recent Examples on the Web

The handheld attachment also comes with a crevice tool and dust brush for more precise cleaning. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

That is because the bacteria can hide in small crevices that water might not reach. —Mustafa Fattah, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024

Certain spots around the house are more prone to infestations, such as dark, warm places like attics, basements, or cracks and crevices. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024

Next, open the hood and look for mud or residue in crevices, behind wiring harnesses and around small recesses in and around components. —Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French crevace, from crever to break, from Latin crepare to crack

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

crevice

noun

crev·​ice ˈkrev-əs 

: a narrow opening caused by a split or crack : fissure

Medical Definition

crevice

noun

crev·​ice ˈkrev-əs 

: a narrow fissure or cleft

an ulcerated periodontal crevice

see gingival crevice